Jump With My Soul
by kellyjb514
Summary: Callen has spent most of her life in captivity. When she escapes and uses a special gift to do it, what will happen when she meets the Volturi Kings? Will this be the beginning of a new life or simply another cage?
1. Chapter 1

Gasping for breath as she turned a corner into an alleyway, the woman slid to a stop when she saw more people waiting. Turning around too quickly, her feet slipped slightly on the damp pavement. As she cursed softly, her hand thrust away from her body toward the wall next to her. The wall rippled and shimmered as though it had suddenly become liquid. Then a large black hole seemed to splatter on the wall. It looked slightly concave, like an entrance.

"Stop her! She's going to jump!"

Curling her lip in distaste, the woman took two steps back then sprinted at the wall. She turned just in time to avoid a knife that was thrown and hit the black hole with her back. She disappeared into it and the second her tattered shoes were through, the hole vanished without a trace. The group of people clustered around the area to stare at the place the woman had just been. One of them quietly asked how they would find her, the inquiry directed at the large man nearest to the wall.

"The portal was black when she jumped. That means she didn't have a destination in mind. It makes it harder to find her and it will take time. However, blind jumps make her incredibly weak. She won't be able to make another jump for at least 3 days."

Light gray stone suddenly came up to meet her tailbone and she found herself sliding quickly across a smooth floor until her back slammed suddenly into a wall. A shout of surprise was followed immediately by several growls. With her vision still completely black, the woman put a mental shield in front of herself without much thought.

Just in time as well, it seemed. Almost as soon as it had solidified two masses slammed against it, obviously on their way toward her. Keeping the shield up was easy for now but the reckless jump had caused her nose to bleed. She didn't move her hands from in front of her just to wipe her face. The woman could sense multiple bodies waiting on the other side of her shield and moving her hands might compromise it. Blinking quickly, her vision suddenly returned and the sight in front of her made the woman gasp in surprise.

Not four feet in front of her were two men that were too handsome to be real. Well, they would have been more handsome in their eyes weren't the color of fresh blood and their lips weren't pulled away from their teeth in snarls. Looking past them, her eyes landed on three more glorious men and there she stopped. The man closest to her had obsidian hair and looked almost angry at her intrusion. The blond next to him looked absolutely livid while the third man simply seemed bored. As soon as their gazes locked with hers however, all three expressions changed to amazed and curious.

The woman felt a warm, pleasant tug in the vicinity of her heart as she stared but she didn't get much of a chance to think about it. Still on the attack, one of the men in front of her slammed his body into her shield again. Pain lanced through her skull, making her scream in agony. Catching on, the other man hit the shield at the same time as the first came in for another hit. The three beautiful men roared for them to stop but it was too late. Their momentum carried them into the now opaque shield which cracked then shattered.

The woman threw out her hand again and tossed herself into another hole but suddenly reappeared on the far side of the room. Landing on her hands and knees, her entire body convulsed slightly before she collapsed on her side.

Angelically soft hands lifted her torso and suddenly the hard floor was replaced by a body that seemed equally as hard. She opened her eyes to see the three male angels hovering over her, looking incredibly distressed. The woman opened her mouth to whisper.

"I'm sorry for intruding. Please don't kill me." Dark spots danced in her vision. Her black hair was brushed away from her face gently. One of the angels asked her, in a voice that rang with awe, what her name was.

"Callen. People call me Callen." Before anything else could happen, the woman lost consciousness. Just as she slipped under, she could have sworn that all the men had breathed the same word.

"Mate."

A.N. Thank you for reading this story! I've had this idea in my head for a while now and I finally got it typed out! Please review and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

When Callen awoke, she realized immediately that she was in an extremely soft bed. She hadn't lain on anything more than a cot for nearly 3 years so this was a luxury that she was going to enjoy for another moment. Remaining horizontal, the woman opened her eyes to stare at the large canopy above her. Slowly her shield pushed away from her, allowing her to mentally scan the room and continue enjoying the bed. There were three people in the room with her and they grunted as her shield moved them a bit.

Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Callum scanned the room before locking her gaze on the three men she had seen earlier. They were still just as beautiful, maybe even more so now that she could focus. Slowly she pulled her shield into her body again. The three men moved toward her in perfect synchronization, looking extremely pleased to simply see her awake and looking at them.

"Who are you? Are you going to try to hurt me too? I won't be a weapon for anyone. No matter what you do to me." Her voice was sharp and cold, matching her features perfectly. With black hair, defined cheekbones, pale complexion, and ice blue eyes, Callen knew that she gave off the look of an ice cold bitch. She had worked hard to perfect that when it was necessary but she didn't really like doing it. She was actually a very nice person.

The men stopped at the end of the bed, giving the woman her space. She wanted so badly to know their names, to know them, but she wouldn't let herself by fooled by a handsome face again. They looked confused and saddened by her words then in the blink of an eye the blond one was by her side. He had knelt by the bed and lightly taken her hand.

"Tell me who had hurt you my darling. I will have them torn to pieces and lit aflame if you so desire it." His words were harsh but his tone was so soothing that she didn't feel intimidated at all. Callen tried not to entertain the idea, she really did, but the picture of her old captors burning made her smile. His hands were extremely cold but his touch sent a spark of electricity through her body. She had never truly felt connected to anyone before but for some reason all three of these beautiful mean called out to her soul. Instead of acknowledging his tempting offer, Callen made eye contact with all three before softening her tone of voice.

"Where am I? What are your names?"

Patting the bed, she silently gave them permission to so. So quickly that she didn't see it, they were sitting shoulder to shoulder in front of her. Far enough away that they didn't crowd her, the men continued looking at her as though she was the sun.

"I apologize for our stares, mi amore. To put it simply, we never expected to find our true mate and not in someone so obviously gifted as a human. I am Aro. These are my soul brothers, Marcus and Caius. You are in our castle, our home, in Volterra Italy." Callen blinked and looked around the room again. She had never been to Italy before. The scientist in charge of her experiments lived in Florence so it wasn't allowed. A thought lit up her mind and the woman looked at the men in alarm.

"Did you say Volterra?" At Aro's nod, she was off the bed and at the door in seconds. "I can't be here! I have to leave before they find me! I'm too close!"

Gentle hands, three sets to be precise, tugged at her jacket and they let her get out into the hallway before they truly stopped her. Marcus, his voice soft and soothing, asked what she was talking about.

"You wouldn't understand! I don't have time to explain! How the hell do I get out of here?!" Both directions looked exactly the same in the large hallway and Callen was beginning to panic. As her vision started to blur, she slowly registered the fact that hands were trying to comfort her. She felt hands rubbing her shoulders, another pair caressing her cheeks, and someone was holding her hands in theirs. Her breathing returned to normal instead of harsh gasps and she tried to look down in embarrassment.

"As you've probably noticed by now, I have a very unique gift. I can 'jump' through these doorways I create and end up in a completely different part of the world. Anywhere I could ever want to go. It started when I was 10 years old. By the time I was 12 I could finally control the jumps and I tried to keep it a secret. Unfortunately somebody found out and contacted my family. They offered my father an outrageous amount of money to give me to them. We were a poor family and I had other siblings that needed to be cared for. So he agreed. Those people, those monsters, took me away and did all sorts of terrible things to me. Then they tried to make me do terrible things to other people. They tried to turn my gift into a weapon. I spent 10 years in a veritable hell."

Callen looked up and into Marcus's eyes. He was the one holding her cheeks so gently. He smiled at her but Callen could see the sadness and anger deep in his eyes. She had been mistreated and he would see it handled.

"I assure you now my dearest. There is no mortal force in this world that could harm you now that you are under our protection." Callen frowned and tilted her head slightly in confusion at Marcus's words. None of this made sense. These men were all acting like she was the most important thing in the world. She wasn't anything extraordinary, just a girl with a special gift and a multitude of problems.

"Protection? I don't know what I've done to earn anyone's protection. Also earlier you mentioned something about a true mate? What's going on? I don't understand." Caius's hands tightened slightly on her own, drawing her attention to him. He smiled sweetly and that alone was enough to send her thoughts skittering away.

"There is much yet to explain my darling. Come back into the room and have a seat. Your skin looks too pale and you are swaying on your feet. You need rest."

The other two made noises of agreement and Callen sighed. Turning, she came face to face with Aro. Well face to chest seemed more appropriate. Callen was a petite thing, only standing 5 foot 3 inches. It was always annoying to be surrounded by people taller than her but with these three men, she didn't mind at all. She actually felt safer, somehow knowing that they would protect her. Shrugging those thoughts away, Callen stepped around Aro and went back into the room. It was time to discover what the real story was with these beautiful men.

A.N. Please remember to review! I want to know if people are enjoying the story! And let me know if you find any grammatical errors!


	3. Chapter 3

A few hours later and Callen couldn't seem to keep her mouth closed. The things that they had told her had seemed impossible but the more questions she asked and the more she thought about it, the more it began to make sense. There were surely many, many more things to learn but the Kings said they didn't want to overwhelm her. Kings! They were Kings of their world and Callen couldn't help but feel as if she ought to bow or something. They had said it wasn't necessary, not for her at least.

"So let me try to summarize all of this, okay? Vampires are completely real, most of the stories are complete bunk, you three are the unofficial kings of the vampire world, you protect the law which is to keep the truth a secret, all three of you are thousands of years old, and you've been waiting all that time to find your true mates?" They all nodded from their various spots on the bed. Marcus was lying across the middle of the bed with her legs on his lap. Caius was propped against the headboard with Callen leaning against his shoulder and his arm around her. Aro was leaning against a post at the far end of the bed. He had kept his distance and was the one of the men who had yet to make more physical contact than necessary.

"How can it be that all three of you can be meant to share one person? Especially one as pathetically human as me?" Caius growled lowly in warning. Not even 24 hours spent together and he could already tell that their mate had a problem with her self-confidence. The woman blushed brightly at the sound and quietly apologized. Aro was the one who finally answered her.

"We are soul brothers. Fate has bonded us through all but blood. It makes sense for us to be bonded in this as well." Callen stared hard at Aro, a terrible thought coming to her mind. She decided to voice her question instead of letting it sit and stress her out.

"Are you unhappy with the choice Fate has made for you? Is that why you haven't gotten close to me this entire time?" There was the obvious sound of hurt in her voice though she had tried to pretend it didn't bother her. People hadn't preferred her presence before and it hadn't made a difference then. However, for some reason Aro's seeming dislike of her was cutting her deeply. Once the last word was out of her mouth, Aro's expression turned to one of horror. In a blur of movement he was on his knees next to her, kneeling by the side of the bed. His hand reached toward her face but hovered a good two inches from her skin.

"Do you remember Caius mentioning that some of our kind were talented?" Callen nodded. The subject had definitely piqued her interest and she had made a mental note to ask more about it. Seeing her nod, Aro continued.

"Well Marcus and I are gifted. Marcus can see the bonds people have with each other and their strength. My gift however, is a blessing and a curse. Once I touch your skin, I will see every thought you have ever had. Every crime, every regret, every memory that a person has ever had. It's all lain out before me. I cannot control it and that is why I have refrained from touching you. It pains me to encroach on your privacy without your knowledge or permission."

Callen's breath caught in her throat and she felt her heart lurch in her chest. This poor man, this gentleman, had been denying himself the comfort of her touch to save her privacy. She could tell that her close proximity relaxed the other Kings, who was she to deny Aro the same thing? There was a part of her that wanted these men to know absolutely everything about her; as she wanted to know everything about them.

Without another thought or hesitation, Callen leaned forward to press her cheek to Aro's hand. Her hand cupped his to keep it in place and a sigh escaped her at the coolness of his palm. She smiled and stared into his eyes for a long while. His gaze, which had been clouded when looking at her memories, suddenly cleared and he smiled slightly. His thumb caressed her cheek and Aro simply stared at her for a moment.

"You, my beautiful Callen, are an incredibly strong woman. Facing the things you have and you remain so kind and loving. Many a person would have become hardened and bitter." Caius playfully tugged a piece of her black hair and she somehow knew that was his way of asking for an explanation. Taking Aro's hand off her cheek and lacing their fingers together before she began speaking.

Haltingly, Callen told the three Kings of everything that had happened to her since she was given away. All the tests, the experiments, beatings she had received for refusing to do as she was told, all the terrible insults, almost everything. There were some happy memories but they were few and still tainted with the bleakness of her life. Finally she told them all that she knew about her gift. She could think of destinations and jump from place to place easily. Her shield was also easy to keep in place when she was strong. It was the blind jumps that always did her in.

"I had torn out the tracker they had implanted. I escaped and I've been running from them for weeks. They had finally cornered me and in my desperation, I did a blind jump. That's how I ended up in your castle. Unfortunately, that blind jump made me extremely weak and I'm surprised the second one was even possible. I won't be able to jump anywhere for a few days at least. That typically means I'd be screwed if they found me." Looking at each of the men around her, her mates, she knew in her heart that she didn't have anything to worry about. They wouldn't willingly let anyone hurt her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: As everyone probably knows, I do not own anything except my own character. I'm warning my readers now that there will be a couple scenes in this story that earn the M rating. There will be proper warning beforehand, I assure you. Please review and let me know what you like or dislike! This story is currently unBeta'd so forgive any spelling or grammatical errors.**

 **That being said, please enjoy!**

Weeks passed peacefully and without incident. Callen was allowed to join the Kings in the throne room whenever she wished but she rarely took the opportunity. Instead she opted for spending much of her time between the library and recreation room. There was typically a guard with her at the times the Kings were busy. Callen didn't mind but she especially favored Jane or her brother Alec. They didn't chatter unnecessarily and both had listened when she told them to call her by her name instead of calling her Queen.

The entirety of the guard seemed pleased by her presence because the rulers of the Volturi had become slightly less rigid. In the entire time Callen had been in the castle, the guard had only heard of one fight between the Kings and their mate. The one that was currently happening.

Callen had been exploring the castle with Demetri as her guard for the day. She hadn't been told that there were places in the castle she couldn't go but Demetri seemed eager to keep her away from a certain stairway. It curled upward, leading to what looked to be a tower. Getting annoyed by Demetri's attempts to distract her, Called used her shield to pin the vampire in a corner. Knowing he couldn't break free, the woman had taken the stairs two at a time until she found an old door that wasn't locked.

Called had discovered the vampire wives that Caius and Marcus had made to help ease their loneliness. Corin, the vampire tasked with using her power to keep the wives content, didn't know who Callen was. Thinking she was just another human who had wandered from the tour, Corin attacked. Pinned to the wall by her throat and feeling her windpipe starting to collapse, Callen pulled her shield back to her then thrust it at the female vampire. Demetri had raced up the stairs to find Corin and the wives pushed against the far wall. Callen was on the floor, coughing and gagging.

Corin had immediately been taken into custody and had she been able, the vampire would have fainted when she was told that she had just attacked the queen. Now Callen was standing in front of 3 deadly vampires, unafraid and visibly seething.

"I can't believe that in all the time that I've been here, you've kept those poor women prisoner." Aro tried to speak but an icy glare from Callen silenced him. "Keeping them pinned under a power like Corin's is just as bad as having them chained to the walls! You said that I was your true mate! That I was all you needed, all you wanted! Was that all a lie then? Have you been sleeping with them while my back is turned?" Callen was pacing in her anger, her eyes cold enough to freeze the vampires in the room. Forgotten for the moment, Corin was on her knees behind Callen with her gaze locked on the floor.

"Callen's just a stupid weak human. She won't notice if we keep our old lovers hanging around! What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right? Is that what you thought? Is it because I haven't been intimate with any of you yet? Well I'm sorry if I would have liked to get to know you first like a NORMAL PERSON!" Callen was screaming by the end, tears running down her cheeks. She didn't care about what Corin had done, it was part of her job. But the idea that her mates had willing kept this from her, cut her deeply.

"Callen, darling. Please-" Marcus stepped toward her, trying to calm her down. Suddenly a force hit him in the chest, throwing him across the room and into his brothers. The three tumbled to the floor in an undignified heap. Callen was standing still finally, her breaths coming out as pants and her hands balled into tight fists.

"No! You're just as bad as them! You knew what was happening and you did nothing! I hate you! I hate all of you! I'm leaving and I never want to see any of you again!" The angry woman turned on her heel and marched away. Trapped by Callen's power, nobody in the room could move to chase after her.

After an excruciating 5 minutes, Callen must have been too far away for her power to hold. The pressure suddenly disappeared and the Kings scrambled to their feet. They ordered a search of the entire castle but within minutes it became clear that Callen wasn't anywhere to be found. She was gone and the Kings didn't know if it would be forever.


	5. Chapter 5

Callen sighed heavily as she slid down a building to sit on the ground. She hadn't jumped far, just to the marketplace in Volterra. She didn't want them tracking her scent. She wouldn't go back until she was ready. Of course right now she was thinking that going back was exactly what she wanted to do. Hours had passed and it had turned dark a while ago.

Thinking she knew her directions well enough, the woman had twisted and turned through side streets for 45 minutes before admitting she was lost. Now to make matters worse, it was extremely dark and Callen hated the dark. She was blindfolded for most of her experiments and had therefore developed a phobia of it. Pulling her knees to her chest, Callen pulled out the cell phone the Kings had given her. It was turned off so she looked around a bit while it turned on. The street lamp above her, already extremely dull, abruptly went out which caused her to panic. Looking down, Called sifted through the phone's contact list before selecting one and pressing call.

A sound at the far end of the alley made her jump but she didn't make a noise. The phone continued trying to make the call but the overhang of the building was disrupting the service. Steeling herself, the woman stood up and pushed away from the wall. The phone lit up, alerting her that it now had enough service for a call. She pressed call again just as another noise came from the other end of the alley. It only rang once before someone answered.

"Caius? I'm sorry, so so sorry." A sob escaped her throat as her fears began to get the best of her. Was that shadow moving toward her? "It's so dark and I don't know where I am. I'm still in the city but I'm so lost. I think there's someone else in this alley with me. I can't see. It's so dark. I'm sorry."

"Callen? My darling can you please describe where you are? Is there anything identifiable? I can't find you quickly if I don't know where you are." She mentioned a bakery and a broken streetlight. She could smell honeysuckle and Caius knew where she was. As one, the Kings ran out of the castle and toward their mate. A scream pierced the night suddenly. It was full of terror, full of pain, and they unfortunately recognized it as Callen's.

Within seconds they were in the alleyway and what they saw angered them to the point of seeing in shades of red. Callen was being pinned to the wall by a man not much taller than her. He had a cut across his cheek and the small knife Callen liked to carry had been stabbed into his left shoulder but he was too intoxicated to notice. It was obvious by the look on Callen's face that she was too terrified of her surroundings to fight back more than she had. The man had torn her shirt roughly in his attempt to grab her but now his hand was fumbling with her jeans pockets. This was supposed to be a quick robbery.

The next thing that registered in Callen's brain was the man's screaming and his release of her. The sudden lack of his left hand seemed to be the problem. It had been ripped off. Following the warm tug from her heart, Callen turned and immediately stumbled into the arms of one of her mates. Arms wrapped gently around her and she knew it was Marcus that held her. He always smelled like books and fresh ink. Her body shook as the man's screams suddenly ended.

"Come along dear. Let's go home and get you a nice cup of coffee. That'll help with the chill." Her response was muffled but Marcus chuckled when he realized what her snarky comment had been.

"I hate coffee. You know that. I want some black tea, as black as our souls."

 **A.N. : So I really don't like painting her as a seemingly weak person. However I felt like this was necessary to show that she's still very much human and humans don't really react all that well in panic situations. Please review?**


	6. Chapter 6

She received her tea the moment she was in her room but her mates seemed to be ignoring her. After a moment, she realized they weren't ignoring her. They thought that she was probably still angry with them. Callen frowned at the thought then sat on the edge of the bed sipping her tea while getting a new shirt. Aro and Caius were sitting on the loveseat with their backs to her while Marcus was only slightly turned away in the leather chair. She let them stew for a bit longer before a sudden wave of guilt hit her. These beautiful men, who could have any number of women they wanted, had jumped to her beck and call for nearly a month without asking for anything in return. They had told her that to be near her and to see her happy was enough for them.

Marcus's eyes never moved from the painting on the wall when she stood. Walking across the room, Callen stepped around the loveseat then turned to face all of them at once. Clearing her throat gently, the woman blushed at the three intense stares that were now completely focused on her.

"I need to apologize to all three of you. I behaved terribly today. I jumped to conclusions and began yelling without any proof. I wasn't thinking and I should not have left the castle. I was a complete lunatic. Will you ever be able to forgive me?" Looking up from her shoes, Callen expected to see frowns or blank stares. Instead all three men were staring at her like she was the sun and the stars. They didn't require an apology from her but she could tell that they appreciated it nonetheless.

"Mi Amore it is we who should be apologizing. We have been neglectful of our relationship with you. There has not been any contact between the wives and ourselves since long before your arrival. However, we cannot simply pull Corin away and send them out. When a person spends too much time under the influence of her power, they will go through withdrawal symptoms without her near." Aro's voice was soothing and without any inflection of blame but Callen still flinched.

"That is no excuse though. We should have explained the situation to you instead of assuming. Our kind is jealous by nature, it only makes sense for our mate to be the same way. Therefore," the three men exchanged nods before Caius continued. "we have decided that we are going to spend the entirety of the week with you. We want to strengthen our bond with you as much as possible. To show that we completely love and adore you. Only you. We hope that you will be able to return out feelings in time."

Without warning, Callen threw herself at Caius in joy. In her frenzy of passion, the woman pressed her lips to Caius's. Both were surprised but neither broke contact, moving their lips together and deepening the kiss. A moment passed before Callen broke the kiss and turned to Aro. She hesitated slightly, unsure if they were as serious about sharing her as they had said. Caius lightly pushed her closer to Aro and that was all the hint she needed.

Crawling over Caius's lap, Callen met Aro halfway. Her hand caressed his cheek before she lightly kissed him. Sliding his fingers into her hair, Aro deepened the kiss as he pulled the woman toward him. They kissed passionately for a moment until Callen pulled away so that she could breathe. Standing from the couch, she turned to find Marcus standing near her but not wanting to be presumptuous. He made eye contact for a second before he averted his gaze.

"Marcus?" The woman's voice had taken on a sweet, shy tone that the Kings adored immediately. Marcus turned toward her fully, still looking at the ground. Callen's hands cupped his cheeks and her lips gently grazed his ear as she spoke.

"Will you kiss me? Please" Unwilling and unable to deny her anything, Marcus pulled her body against his before his lips touched hers. He was extremely gentle but not at all hesitant, just as Callen had anticipated.

Everything was okay now. The King's weren't mad at her, she didn't have to worry about competing with gorgeous vampires, and they were all going to spend the week together. Just the four of them. Things were finally going right.


	7. Chapter 7

The week had passed far too quickly in Callen's opinion. Her mates had spent every single moment with her. The only alone time she had was when she was in the bathroom. To someone who had never had anyone truly care for her, this constant attention was glorious.

They had personally given her tours about the castle, telling her everything she wanted to know. Museums, hiking, operas, concerts, anything Callen wanted to do the Kings agreed to. On their last day, there had been a 2 hour break when the leaders were called away urgently but Callen promised she didn't mind. She took that time to nap so that she could be ready for the rock climbing she had been promised later in the day.

Waking suddenly, Callen huffed when she realized her mates still weren't back. Deciding to go pull them from the throne room, she slipped her shoes on and walked out the door. Though she knew she was acting like a spoiled brat, the Kings had promised that they wouldn't take long. Callen was beginning to get worried and if something was wrong, she needed to know about it. Lost in thought, the woman didn't notice the person walking down the middle of the corridor.

A body slammed into hers, knocking her to the ground. She let out a surprised exclamation that quickly turned into anger. The guy hadn't apologized or even slowed down!

"Hey asshole! There's no need to be so rude!" The woman stood as she spoke. Her words caused the man to stop but not to turn around.

"Well maybe you shouldn't be such a useless idiot and watch where you're walking. Pull your head out of your ass next time." Her jaw dropped in disbelief and as he began walking away again, rage coursed through her body. Without thinking of the possible consequences, Callen threw her shield at him. It hit him square in the back and tossed him to the ground. She heard the air leave his lungs but before a smug look could reach her face, he was standing in front of her.

 _Well shit. Dude's a vampire. Should have guessed that one._ The woman's thoughts were interrupted by the young man's hands wrapping tightly around her upper arms. She gasped in pain but something drew her attention to his face. He was actually rather unattractive for an immortal, something Callen thought was funny.

"Your eyes are gold!" Her voice spurted from her mouth without permission. The man snarled slightly and his grip tightened even more. This time, Callen squealed in pain but immediately closed her mouth.

"You're exceptionally observant. You're also the out I was looking for. You reek of Volturi. I don't know who you are but you're going to help me." The woman opened her mouth to argue but the vampire shook her roughly to stop her. "I've recently discovered the love of my existence is dead. I've asked the Volturi to end my misery but they refused. They will need a trigger to prompt them into action. Since you're a human in their castle, that means you're important to someone. So I'm going to kill you to force them to kill me."

Callen muttered the word coward under her breath and that seemed to be enough to set the vampire off. He shook her roughly again, causing her head to hit the wall at her back hard enough to bring the woman to her senses. One of her hands grabbed the man's shirt, the other touched the wall. A hole opened in the wall but it seemed to show the vampire's back.

He gasped as they were both pulled into the hole and deposited onto the opposite side of the hall. Shock caused him to fall to the floor, releasing Callen. Without pause, she took off running down the corridor toward the direction of the throne room. Feeling only slightly like a chicken, Callen started screaming as she ran.

"Aro! Caius! Marcus! Anyone! Help!" Hearing a growl that chilled her to the bone, Callen hurled her shield blindly behind her. Her assailant was slammed to the ground again. Looking up, his expression turned to one of horror as he saw what the girl did next.

The Kings themselves had appeared in the hallway with several guard members behind them. That wasn't what scared him so. It was the fact that the girl he had just tried to kill jumped directly into Marcus's arms. This was suddenly very, very bad.


	8. Chapter 8

Seeing her three mates, Callen cried out and threw herself at the closest one. Marcus caught her and cradled her as she shook in terror. Caius and Aro, after assuring themselves that Callen was unharmed, continued moving toward the vampire who had recently been their guest. No noise came from anyone in the hall, waiting to see what would happen. Everyone in the throne room, as well as a large part of the castle, had heard Callen scream. They all immediately rushed to find out why.

"Edward, what an unpleasant surprise. You were supposed to leave the castle, were you not?" Aro's voice was chipper and pleasant but Callen could hear the anger underneath. He didn't yet know what happened but he knew his mate was terrified and that simply would not do. Edward nodded and stood up, never once taking his eyes off Aro.

"Well then, do you care to tell me what happened or do I have to find out for myself?" The young vampire's expression changed from blank indifference to sudden fear. Just as Aro went to reach for him, a soft warm body slid under his arm. Callen pressed herself against Aro's side and took his hand in hers while glaring at Edward.

"I'll tell you what happened." She purposely made sure to speak loudly enough to be heard by everyone. "You wouldn't grant his wish of death so he tried to find a way to force your hand. He found me walking here, attacked me, and said he was going to kill me."

Snarls and growls filled the area at Callen's words. Everyone in the castle had come to know and enjoy the Queen's presence. Despite the fact that he should be scared, Edward only smirked slightly. Callen's words with her memories automatically made up Aro's mind for him. Urging the woman into Caius's waiting arms, Aro then placed his hands behind his back. Looking to the vampires standing behind Edward, he gave the order to kill him.

"No, wait!" Callen's voice was sharp and immediately every vampire moved back into place. The woman stepped out of Caius's hold and stepped closer to Edward. The Kings kept quiet, allowing their mate to take her first large step as a ruler. They would all agree with whatever she decided needed to be done.

"He attacked me because he thought it would ensure a quick demise. I don't think he deserves such a gift from us. I know that if true mates are kept apart too long, they will perish." Callen's eyes seemed to shine and the smile on her face was dangerous. "So instead of killing him, I want him released. If his mate truly is dead, then I want him to suffer until he disintegrates. Suffer like my mates would have if I had been killed." Edward snarled in anger and lurched toward the human woman but found he couldn't get any closer to her. Her shield was strong and completely unyielding. With a happy sigh, she turned her back to him.

"Felix?" The hulking vampire was suddenly by the Queen's side. "Please escort Edward out of the castle." Grabbing the golden eyed vampire by the back of his neck, Felix physically removed him. Once they were out of sight, Callen told one of the lower guards to follow Edward. She didn't want him causing any more problems than he had already.

"If something happens or you suspect him to be causing trouble, you will not engage him. Report to me immediately." The vampire bowed then disappeared down the hall. Callen then turned and addressed the clumps of vampires still standing around protectively. "I thank you for all your worry and your quick response. You are without a doubt the best guard I could ask for. I assure you that I will now be in good hands. Now, I have some business to attend to."


	9. Chapter 9

Hearing the dismissal in her words, the hall was soon empty except for the Kings and their Queen. She sighed, biting her lip gently before turning to face her mates. Callen was worried that she might have offended them by taking too much control.

"I'm sorry, I sort of got caught up in everything. Did I go too far? Was that an appropriate punishment? Do you think I should have ordered him to be killed?" The woman's voice got smaller then trailed off when she recognized the look in her mate's eyes. It was a look of hunger but it wasn't blood they were interested in. No man had looked at Callen like that but she was beginning to like it.

"Come my Queen, we have to finish out our day with you." Caius held his hand out toward Callen. His smile was seductive and his tone had the woman blushing. Looking between the three men, she nodded her head and took the offered hand.

Seemingly impatient with a human pace, Caius picked her up and the four sped off. Next thing she knew, Callen was back in their room and she was being kissed. _Caius._ His kisses were always a bit rough, always a little dominating. She loved it but she wasn't allowed to focus on that for long. Gentle kisses were being placed on her neck and shoulders by Marcus. It seemed like he couldn't get enough of her skin as he pulled her shirt farther off her shoulder.

Caius pressed his body tightly against hers for a moment before backing away. He never stopped kissing her, even going so far as to nibble at her lip. Callen had just begun to wonder where Aro was when she suddenly got her answer. She felt her shirt being lifted slightly before Aro was kissing just below her naval. Pulling away from Caius, the woman took a moment to look down. The sight of Aro on his knees in front of her was more erotic than she could describe. The three vampires groaned in sync as the scent of their mate's arousal reached them.

Caius pulled her mouth back to his and Callen hummed in happiness. Aro trailed his tongue lightly along the woman's hipbone then followed his instincts. Sliding his hands under her shirt, he began trailing his fingers along her stomach then carefully bit into her hipbone. He didn't break the skin but what happened next was worth much more than any taste of blood.

Callen's hips jerked forward lustfully and the moan that left her throat was exquisite. In response to the noise, Marcus bit into the soft juncture where her neck met her shoulder, careful not to break the skin as well. Another moan escaped the woman and her knees suddenly gave out but all three men kept her standing. They led her to the bed, barely breaking contact, then gently laid her down.

"Close your eyes and relax, mi amore. We are going to show you a bliss like you have never known." Aro's voice was silky smooth and Callen willingly did as he told her. The rest of the day and most of the evening was spent in that room. The Kings only focused on Callen, not themselves. Her pleasure was more than enough as they brought her to new and wonderful heights. The woman was amazed at everything they could do with just their mouths and hands.

She wondered aloud how much better it would be if they were to go father but that request was met with a firm and resounding no. As a human, they told her, she was too fragile for any such activities. Her mind cloudy with all the pleasure being given to her, Callen didn't push the subject. That corridor of the castle was filled with grunts, moans, sighs, names, and the occasional ecstasy filled scream for a very long time. Callen knew that the entire castle could probably hear her but she wouldn't be embarrassed about it.

This relationship was true happiness, every part of it, and the woman couldn't bring herself to feel bad about any of it. The guard would just have to get used to the noise because Callen knew she would beg and plead every night if she had to. She would do anything to feel like this every evening.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day Callen was up quite early, considering she had only gotten a few hours of sleep. Yawning, the woman stumbled to the kitchen and made herself a cup of strongly brewed tea. The staff knew by now that until she had gotten her tea, Callen had a tendency to snap at people. They had avoided her in the mornings once they found out.

"I heard the Kings were going to kill that Cullen boy and the Queen was the only thing that stopped them. I wonder why she did it. Maybe she's having an affair with him or something." A woman's nasally voice interrupted Callen's morning thoughts. Despite hating eavesdropping, she silently moved closer to the sound. The woman seemed to be standing just on the other side of the wall separating the kitchen from the cafeteria. Suddenly another voice piped in.

"That's probably true. Who is she anyway? Some tramp that waltzed in from nowhere. Now she's whoring herself out to all three kings? What a skank. She'll never be a good Queen." The second voice also belonged to a woman but it was terribly high pitched and grated on her nerves. Keeping her face blank and unreadable, Callen took a few steps and leaned against the doorframe.

She could see the two women now. They were standing shoulder to shoulder with their backs to her, sipping large lattes. Allowing one corner of her mouth to tilt up in amusement, Callen stayed silent as the women continued bad mouthing her. They had no idea she was standing there and they didn't even bother looking around. There were a few other people eating breakfast in the cafeteria, various employees of the castle that could obviously hear the women. A few looked too tired to react at all but the rest were shooting dark glares at the pair.

Everyone in the room was human which was probably the only reason the women were so bold. One of the workers, a young man who couldn't be older than 23, suddenly stood like he was going to say something. He noticed Callen standing in the doorway and stared at her. Noticing the look on her face, he sat back down and waited for her to say something.

Then, as if sensing her presence, everyone else except the gossipers stared at Callen. She didn't typically spend much time with the replaceable human workers. They usually saw her as she got her tea or as she wandered the castle with a guard. Callen always looked regal and dressed for formal business, taking full advantage of the luxurious dresses and skirts given to her. Nobody but her mates ever saw her dressed in anything but her best. Seeing her now, standing among them like she couldn't have them all killed with just a word, was somewhat of a gift.

"Yeah, you know I hear the Queen is a bitch. An icy bitch that could have anyone disposed of for even looking at her the wrong way." At the sound of Callen's voice, the two women stiffened and slowly turned to face her. Looking exquisite in a navy blue peplum dress and black heels, Callen looked every bit the part of an ice Queen. Fear showed obviously in the two women's eyes as they realized what Callen had heard. Without another word she raised her cup in the women's direction, tipped her head slightly, then turned and walked away.

She didn't plan on punishing the women, people were entitled to their opinions after all. But she figured a healthy dose of fear and anticipation would do them some good. As long as she didn't catch word of them talking about her or her mates again, things would be left alone. If she did, then the women would find themselves on the deadly end of a vampire's teeth.

 **A.N. Sorry it took me a bit to update, I had a lot of projects to finish at work. I'm sorry these chapters are so short but I can't seem to make them longer without feeling like I'm just rambling or coming up with useless sub-plots. Please please please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

After a quick stop in the library, Callen walked into the throne room with a book and her tea. She didn't often spend time here since most of the business done here was horrifically boring. However, spending time away from her mates didn't quite appeal to her today. Some instinct told her to just stay close to all three of them.

"Hello darling, this is unusual of you. Have you decided to spend some time in here this morning?" Marcus kissed Callen lightly as she walked toward him. She nodded silently before moving over to sit in Aro's throne. The thrones were made of stone but for some reason Callen found them quite comfortable. Situated in the middle of the room, Aro's throne gave her the opportunity to watch what happened in most of the room.

"I'm feeling a little worn down from our unexpected visitor yesterday. Also, I missed you all. So I figured I would spend the day here." Callen looked slightly uncomfortable with admitting a slight weakness but immediately shook it off. All the vampires in this room adored her, even the guard members. They wouldn't think less of her for having a human flaw.

Seeming satisfied with her answer, the Kings continued with their work. Callen didn't demand their constant attention and they simply enjoyed being in her presence. The room was quiet except for the occasional turning of a page by Callen, a shuffle of paper, or the movement of a guard. Caius was working on some type of drawing, Marcus was entertaining himself with a book Callen had recommended, and Aro was going over their many business transactions. Things were peaceful for a few hours.

Without warning, the large doors were pushed open and the guard who had been following Edward walked in. He bowed to the Kings then turned and bowed to Callen. She waved him forward and he whispered his information into her ear. Even with their advanced senses, nobody else in the room heard his words. Turning quickly and slamming her book shut, Callen's face went through multiple emotions in a small amount of time. Surprise was immediately followed by anger, confusion, and then curiosity until her expression finally settled into a deep thoughtfulness. Standing up, the woman slowly paced as her brain worked quickly through the situation. Finally she turned back to the vampire.

"You are completely sure?" When he affirmed, the woman nodded. "Very well. We must take action. Felix! Demetri!" Within seconds, the two vampires had answered her shout. Sighing, Callen motioned for them to give her a moment to think. Her hands came up to rub her temples easing the thought process.

"Go into the city and find Edward Cullen. I suspect he will be near the clock tower but search elsewhere anyway. I have been told that he means to expose himself in full sunlight. If it seems this is going to happen, kill him. If not, bring him to me. We will reattempt to offer him a position in the guard." A hiss of outrage, stemming from Caius, followed her words. He made to argue until Callen turned her icy blue eyes on him. With a single look, he knew that she was begging for his trust. Callen knew what she was doing, exactly what the outcome would be. Now she needed her mates to support her. All three men nodded their acceptance which prompted Felix and Demetri to turn to leave.

"Oh and Demetri?" The tracker turned back around. "I want this done quietly. Also, if any of the other Cullens show up with a human I want them all brought to us." He nodded and followed after Felix. With them gone, Callen fully explained the situation to her mates

"The Cullen brat has decided to try to force our hand once more. Apparently he's going to show himself today at noon. On today of all days." Callen knew that it was Saint Marcus day, the day the city chose to celebrate the eradication of vampires in the city. The Volturi would have no choice but to stop him. Caius cursed loudly and began pacing.

Callen frowned and walked over to Caius. Wrapping her arms around him while his back was turned, she laid her cheek between his shoulder blades. Caius sighed and took a few unnecessary breaths before he finally relaxed. He apologized softly and Callen stood on her toes to kiss the side of his neck. Pulling away, Callen saw in Aro's throne again before calling for Jane and Alec. The young twins appeared, hands clasped together as they waited for Callen's orders. The woman took a shaky breath before speaking again.

"Do you two remember the favor I once asked of you?" They nodded but their beautiful faces became filled with tension. "Well now is the time for it. I am sorry to ask this of you. I had hoped to wait a while longer but this is something we need to know."

Aro and his brothers looked curious but knew that Callen wanted them to stay where they were. The woman made every guard leave the room, shutting the door behind them. They were ordered to the chamber where there was to be a feeding in about an hour. Sitting back in the throne, the woman nodded at the twins standing in front of her.


	12. Chapter 12

"Alright. Let's do this quickly." A look of regret stuck on her face, Jane stepped forward and stared at the Queen. Callen groaned in pain before clamping her mouth shut to silence the noise. Her hands were gripping the throne hard enough to turn her knuckles stark white. The outraged roars from her mates were enough to make her focus. Gathering her shield, Callen threw it away from herself and created a 2 foot bubble around herself.

Then, in an instant, she couldn't feel the pain of Jane's attack anymore. Looking up, Callen could sense the girl's power hitting the shield but it couldn't pass through. Nodding at Alec, the woman watched the mist crawl from the boy in her direction. As it creeped closer, Callen pushed her shield farther away from herself in case the mist broke through. The boy's power continued creeping until it suddenly hit a wall. Aro, Marcus, and Caius all gasped in surprise as they watched the mist climb around the large shield. After a moment, Alec pulled the mist away then nodded and grabbed his sister's hand again. Callen took a deep breath and stood, smoothing her dress down with her hands.

"Thank you both. You know I hate to ask that of you but I needed to know." The twins turned to face Callen and nodded to show they were fine. "Now Jane I need you to go join Felix and Demetri. Edward may try to fight them but I'm sure your presence will prevent any of that. Bring him and any others to the feeding chamber. We will meet you there. Alec, go there and we will await your sister's return."

Jane bowed and kissed her brother's cheek before disappearing in a speedy blur. Alec left as well after a quick bow, heading to the feeding room. Callen turned to face her mates only to flinch in surprise when she discovered that they were all standing right next to her. All three of them looked extremely unhappy and she knew that she needed to fix it right now.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about this before I did it but I needed to know. Since I've been here and realized all the things your kind can do to someone's mind, I've been curious. Can you forgive my curiosity?" Unable to look at them, Callen looked to the floor and examined her shoes instead. They were all quiet for a moment and the woman felt like her heart was in her stomach.

Her chin was grabbed and roughly tugged up so that she was looking into Caius's eyes. He stared her down while making her promise to never do that again. Called nodded slowly while leaning forward to kiss him. Their lips only touched for a moment before he stepped back and stomped away from her. He began quickly tidying up the area he had been at, obviously still furious with Callen.

Aro touched her hand without a word, ever curious to know what her thoughts were. When he realized all the thoughts and doubts she had been having, his anger disappeared. Callen only wished to push her limits, to find new and better ways to use her powers and protect her new family. The poor woman simply felt the need to be useful, to be worthy of her powerful mates. He couldn't fault her for that. Pulling her to his chest, he hugged her tightly. He smiled when he felt her let out a deep breath and relax. Kissing the top of her head, he murmured a few sweet words in Italian before letting her go.

"Curiosity killed the cat, as you well know Callen." Marcus, sounding exactly like a scholar who was chastising a young student. Callen couldn't stop the smile on her face or the snarky response that came after.

"Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. As _you_ well know my darling." Her words caused Marcus to chuckle and step toward her. He kissed her and it was a little rougher than usual, indicating that he was still slightly angry as well. Of course it seemed that now Caius was the one who would need another apology. It would have to wait though because there were some very annoying guests to prepare for.


	13. Chapter 13

**A.N. SailorJupiter001: here you go, because you asked so nicely! ;)**

Callen sighed as she sat down in the antechamber. The thrones here were made of wood and were placed against the back wall instead of sitting in the middle of the room. One of the women who had been assigned to guard Callen asked if she needed anything.

"Could you get me something to drink? Water, tea, something like that?" Within a few moments, she had a drink and she slowly sipped it as the all waited for Jane and the others to return. Marcus and Caius were sitting on their thrones, chatting quietly with each other. Aro paced slowly in front of Callen's throne, hands tented in front of his mouth. They all knew that this was a matter of importance and needed to be handled delicately. Therefore Aro would probably do most of the talking.

Moments later, Jane and Alec entered the chamber. Edward was behind them along with two women that Callen didn't know. Based on the description she was given, Callen guessed that the terrified looking human had to be Isabella Swan. She didn't know who the female vampire was, Rosalie Cullen or perhaps Alice, and before she could think too much about it, Aro began speaking. Callen did her best to stay inconspicuous for as long as possible.

They all listened intently as Aro spoke, analyzing the situation in their own ways. Marcus showed Aro his thoughts once but only to show how strong the bond was between Edward and his human. Edward was just as Callen expected; rude and impatient. Isabella Swan was mostly silent except for the occasional whimper. During the exchange, Callen kept quiet and none of the guests seemed to notice her.

 **Bella P.O.V.**

I felt another shiver roll through my body and didn't bother suppressing it. I was freezing from my proximity to Edward and my dip in the fountain but I couldn't bear to move. Drawing as little attention to myself as possible seemed like a good idea. Edward was being incredibly rude to Aro which seemed like a terrible way to keep us alive. Suddenly Aro asked Edward if I was immune to more than just his gift.

"Aro, don't speak as if the girl isn't standing in front of you. Manners, darling." The voice belonged to a woman and I struggled to place it until she rose from her seat. Once I saw her, I couldn't help but gape. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen, Rosalie included. From the way her dress fit her curves to her ice blue eyes, she was stunning. She was also definitely human. Then my traitorous mouth moved without permission.

"You're a human!" I blushed brightly but I couldn't make myself look away from her. Smiling, she set down the book she had been holding then walked toward us. She whispered to the vampire guarding her who then disappeared. A second later, a blanket had been draped across my shoulders. I was too stunned at the kind gesture, one I hadn't expected to find here, to say anything. Edward was growling lowly and I was confused. She was human, she seemed nice, and she was beautiful. Was she dangerous? Who was she?

 **A.N. Sorry, I know this one is rather short. Please review! I'm getting stuck on this story because I'm not really sure if people are liking it so let me know!**


	14. Chapter 14

Aro smiled at Callen then turned to Isabella and directly asked if he could read her. While he did that, the woman knew Edward's attention would be focused solely on that pair. Discretely, Callen spread her shield behind her then around the room. Edward wouldn't be able to read any of the Volturi vampires in the room besides Aro. Though he was so preoccupied with keeping his human safe that he probably wouldn't notice. After a long silence, Aro chuckled and stepped back like she had hoped.

"So very interesting. How unusual." Aro turned and smiled at Callen. "I wonder if she is immune to our other talents." Callen shrugged, taking Aro's hand before turning slightly to the side. Aro turned to address the young girl standing near his other side.

"Jane?" Edward snarled viciously in refusal. Jane smiled brightly then looked quickly between Callen and Aro. "We would like to know if Miss Swan is immune to you. If you could find out for us?"

Several things happened at once, so fast that the humans had trouble following. Alice cried out a warning, Edward launched himself forward, Jane smiled, then Edward dropped to the floor. He writhed in pain for a moment before the Swan girl began screaming. She begged them to stop and with a wave of his hand, Aro obliged. Jane then turned her focus to Isabella who tried to flinch away.

Nothing happened and Jane was obviously frustrated. Callen placed a hand on Jane's shoulder before the vampire could pounce. Turning, the Queen began walking away while Aro continued speaking. She stopped moving when Caius entered the conversation. Bella kept glancing at her back, wondering who this human was and why she seemed to have so much power over Aro. She watched as the woman stared at Caius when he spoke.

"Surely you can see the potential talent Caius. I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?" Aro obviously meant for his words to be kind and encouraging. What he didn't see however, was the pain on Callen's face nor did he see her hands ball into tiny fists. Nobody realized that Callen had accidently dropped her shield when her emotions ran. The woman only let those feelings show for a moment before she was able to reign them in. Her expression smoothed out and her hands fell limply to her sides but not before Marcus and Caius saw. Her shield stayed down, allowing Edward access to everyone's minds again.

"Join or die, is that it? I thought as much when we were brought to this room. So much for your laws." Edward's voice was irate but precise. Before Aro could answer politely, a petite figure brushed past him. Callen was intervening again.

"Listen here you insolent little snob. We are here awaiting Heidi's return, not to entertain a selfish guest and his family. The world does not revolve around you." Many of her words were accentuated by a finger poking Edward's chest. He backed away as she advanced, leaving his mate to stand by herself. Alice took a step forward, looking confused.

"The Kings are offering this alternative to protect the secret yet you're a human." Edward hissed to try to get her to stop but the vampire continued on. "So if Bella can't be human and know, what makes you different? What makes you so sure that they won't kill you once you've lost your usefulness?" Alice looked genuinely confused until Aro moved behind Callen. Marcus and Caius immediately joined them, all three men touching Callen's body in some way or other. Callen's smile was sheepish but polite as she looked the tiny vampire over.

"Why Miss Cullen, didn't anyone inform you? Or perhaps you are so reliant on your gift that you thought you knew everything about the Volturi? She will be turned before the year ends." Caius supplied, his words cold and malicious.

"As for her usefulness? I introduce to you, Callen Volturi. Our Queen."


	15. Chapter 15

Silence followed Caius's statement. Alice now looked horrified at her assumption. Bella was gaping like a fish again and Edward continued to glare at the leaders. Isabella stepped forward a bit, propelled by pure curiosity. Edward grabbed her hand to stop her advance but the open expression on the Queen's face prompted to girl to speak.

"You're the Queen? How does that work? What I mean is, why are you the only one?" As if suddenly realizing how far away she was from Edward, the girl stepped back again until his arms wrapped around her.

Callen quirked a smile in the girl's direction then she turned to face her mates. They began speaking quietly with each other, debating whether or not to let them go. Callen only half listened as her mind continued to run over what Aro had said about Bella's potential. She would let them work this decision out themselves.

In the end, it was decided to let them go but only if Edward promised to turn Isabella into a vampire. He was reluctant to touch Aro again so Alice stepped forward. She said she had seen it happen and quickly gave her bare hand over to Aro. A few tense moments went past before the man opened his eyes. Immediately his gaze turned to Callen and he smiled brightly.

"How amazing! To see this woman's life and the things that haven't happened yet! Strangely enough, Alice has never seen you in her visions Callen. You seem to be invisible to her." Callen's eyebrows raised in polite surprise but she remained silent. "Yes, go now. Isabella will become one of us soon enough. Callen will you show them to the lobby? Heidi will be here soon and our guests must wait until nightfall to leave."

The woman nodded then turned and led the way out. Alice followed directly behind while Edward had to practically drag Bella after him. The stress and terror of the situation seemed to be catching up to the human. Callen's heels clacked along the floor and they were the only sound for a while as the group headed to the lobby.

"Is that a dress from the new Armani collection?" Alice's petite voice, filled with wonder, echoed in the hall. "It's not supposed to be available for another month!" Callen smirked and nodded to the pixie-like woman beside her.

"It isn't available to the public for another month. However, the Kings know Georgio personally and arranged for some things to be sent over. He's asked for a product review which I'll be more than happy to give." The two spent the rest of the walk discussing different fashions and designers. When they arrived at the lobby, the secretary on duty stood politely. Callen asked her for another warm blanket and a bottle of soda.

"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be elsewhere, terrorizing small children or kicking animals?" Edward's voice was sullen but still sharp. Callen only smiled before sitting down next to Bella Swan. The girl had tears streaming down her cheeks and she was mumbling about all the humans who had walked past them moments ago. They were the Volturi's next meal and that seemed to bother the girl. Taking her hand, the Queen then pushed a tissue into her palm.

"Hush now Miss Swan. There's no use in crying over people you didn't even know. Besides, you can't possibly be able to see your beloved with all that water blurring your vision." Her words and a tight squeeze of the hand seemed to be enough to break Bella's stupor. She used the tissue to wipe her eyes then the girl turned and stared directly at Edward. The young couple got lost in each other's eyes, prompting Callen to turn to Alice for conversation.

"I realize that you're probably the only reason we got out of that room alive. So I'd like to say thank you. I just, well to be honest I have a question."

"You want to know why you can't see me in your visions." Callen interrupted the pixie, who then nodded. "Well your visions, from what I've been told, rely mostly on decisions and predictability. I have a gift that makes my movements and decisions unpredictable. I'm not set firmly in one place and perhaps that's why."


	16. Chapter 16

A few hours had passed quietly while the group waited for the sun to go down. Callen, ever trying to be friendly, kept a light conversation going. She asked Alice about her fashion sense, Bella about her friend Jacob, and Edward about his music taste. The latter gave short answers but he began to look contemplative.

"You aren't anything like I expected." When she asked what he meant, Edward stared directly at the Queen. "Well your mates are all known for being cruel and unfeeling. They don't often let people go without consequences and they certainly don't do it easily. You however, are kind and seem to listen to people when they talk. How were you ever meant to be with such horrible men?"

Frowning, the woman fiddled with her hands for a moment while she thought. It wasn't something that could be answered easily. The answer was also extremely important to her.

"I suppose it's because every darkness needs a light. It shows everywhere in nature. Day, night. Sound and silence. To combat winter, there is a summer. To appreciate the moon, you have to have known the sun. Everything is meant to balance. It seems as though I am the thing that is meant to equalize them. They would do anything for me if only I asked. Just as I would do anything for them. I love them, all three of them. As I was always meant to."

"But do they love you?" Bella's question was an honest one and Callen's response was to shrug.

"They do. Immensely. They prove it to me in their own ways. I only hope that every day I can better myself enough to be the mate they deserve." Bella smiled at the love-struck look on Callen's face. A door opened and Alec stepped through quietly. His suit was impeccable but his eyes were bright red, he had obviously joined the feast.

"Master Aro sent to tell you that the sun is low enough. You may leave. My Queen, you are requested in the throne room." He stood there, obviously meant to take her. Callen said her goodbyes quickly then turned and began walking away with Alec. A clenching in her stomach reminded her that she had neglected to eat yet today and she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten anything before that. She ignored it for the time being, her Kings needed her.

Alec opened the large doors for her then bowed as she passed. Her mates were all gathered around their table. Voices slightly raised, Callen could tell that they were on the brink of an argument over something. It was most likely over the Cullen family and the woman only hoped she could stop it from escalating. They never fought when she was around but they had never had a problem like this since she had been in the castle.

"They must all be eliminated! Their presence is nothing but trouble for our secret! It will spell nothing but disaster to let them remain!" Caius sounded extremely angry but Aro's face didn't show any type of emotion.

"Alec said that you asked for me?" The attention of all three men moved to her and a bit of the tension left the room. Marcus rolled his eyes in her direction to convey the annoyance he felt with his brothers. Caius was still angry with her but acknowledged her with a quick nod. It was Aro, who smiled brightly at her, that finally spoke.

"Well Caius does not approve of my release of the Cullen's two most talented members. There is also the matter of Miss Swan. Very much human and therefore able to share our secret with the world. We have agreed to ask your opinion before making this decision."

Callen frowned slightly then nodded. Her hands came up to her mouth as she began pacing. This was a difficult situation that required planning along with a good dose of practicality. After a few moments, the woman had an answer.

"I think we should leave the Cullens alone for now. Edward is obviously in love with the human but seems unwilling to change her. Alice however, is in love with another of the Cullen clan. She will not put his life at risk over something as trivial as Isabella's mortality. Besides," Callen looked at Caius who had snarled at her first sentence. "I am more than sure that this coven will do something naughty before too long. Then with the proper evidence we can destroy those who need their punishment and those that don't."


	17. Chapter 17

The rest of the week had passed without much incident. Callen hadn't told Aro that his praise of Isabella's potential had bothered her. Caius wouldn't let Callen apologize and he had become distant. Marcus was busy teaching history to some of the lower guard and therefore unable to spend time with Callen. Shaken by the seemingly constant near-death experiences in her life, the woman had taken to jogging through Volterra aimlessly. Nothing was happening in the royal court but privately, things seemed to be falling to pieces.

"Going out for another run?" Caius asked his mate, his voice crisp and his gaze never leaving the book he was reading. Callen hummed in affirmation as she tied the laces on her running shoes. This was the normal conversation for them lately as she couldn't usually get any other words from Caius.

"Make sure to stay inside the walls and take someone with you." Callen hummed again then stepped out of the room. Once she had closed the door, Caius sighed loudly and snapped his book shut. He wanted to apologize for the way he had been treating the woman but he didn't know how. She had been unnecessarily stressed lately and he didn't like it. A sudden crashing and shouting in the kitchens reached him moments later and he recognized Aro's voice.

He reached the kitchen corridor at the same time as Marcus. Giving his brother a questioning glace, he received a shrug in return. Marcus didn't know what was happening either. They entered the kitchen together to see Aro stomping around the immediate area.

"Brother, calm yourself and tell us what has happened. I have never seen you react so violently to anything." Marcus, ever the peace keeper, laid his hand on Aro's shoulder as he spoke. The familiar touch seemed to calm the irate vampire down slightly. Aro sighed and turned away from the human he had been shouting at. It was the chef in charge of making anything Callen wanted. The man was shaking slightly but he obviously was firm about whatever he had told Aro.

"I called Master Aro to the kitchens because I had noticed something that worried me. He reacted predictably and I was prepared for it." Aro gestured for the man to tell his brother what had been told to him. Meanwhile, he continued pacing across the empty kitchen. The chef sighed before straightening his clothes out and repeating his information.

"The Queen hasn't ordered food from me in over a week. I have asked all the other staff members in the kitchen. None of them have received orders or even seen her in the kitchen. I took the liberty of asking Felix because he is the one who takes her around the city. She doesn't get food when she's out with him either. Masters, I don't know why but it seems as though our Queen isn't eating."

If Caius had the ability to lose his breath, it would have happened then. Marcus seemed to have the same reaction. Aro, already over his brief fit of violence, floated past them. The two followed him almost robotically as they headed to their chambers. Instead of going to their separate room they congregated in their mate's room.

"She is obviously not eating because she is stressed or upset about something. The question is what has caused it." Marcus's scoff of disbelief at Aro's words seemed to echo around the room.

"Aro you can't be serious! It is obvious that we have each upset her in our own ways! Shall I name them?" Sitting on the small couch in the room, Aro gestured for him to continue. "Fine. Your compliment to Isabella Swan in front of most of the coven! 'Promising. Better than Jane and Alec' were your words. You completely disregarded Callen and her talents. That must have hurt badly."

"Callen has more talent in her toes than Isabella Swan has in her entire body. Surely she knows that?" Caius sounded genuinely curious. Aro looking into nothingness, stunned at the revelation.

"Our Callen had lived a difficult life. She has never wanted her gift to define her. However, to have such an essential part of her seemingly cast aside." Marcus trailed off uncertainly, looking to Aro. With no response, he sighed and pressed on.

"She is a woman. Emotionally fragile and still confused as to her place in this world. We are supposed to be the ones showing her the way. Caius," the blond vampire snapped his head up when his name was spoken. "she thinks you still remain angry with her. If I'm guessing correctly, Callen has been doing small things to apologize all week. The woman is stressing over trying to win your favor back while being too proud to apologize verbally."

"A new set of brushes were left in my art room. I found them under some papers in my studio. My throne has been pushed a little further into the room. The sun no longer falls in me as often in the evenings." Caius froze with his mouth hanging open as his mind went through all the small things he had noticed. Little things that made his days that much easier. Papers organized, files put back where they belong, and he hadn't even given thought to it.

"Aro has insulted her, you have saddened her, and I have been unintentionally ignoring her. It seems to me my dear brothers, that we haven't been very good mates." They all nodded in agreement. There was work to be done.


	18. Chapter 18

**A.N. There is mature content in this chapter! Please be warned! There will be a note at the beginning and a note to mark the end if you don't want to read it! It is not super essential to the story so it's your choice!**

Finally having decided to make a drastic change, the three Kings spent the next month doing everything possible to make Callen happy. When she returned from her job, Aro kneeled before her and apologized profusely. Seeing such a powerful man on his knees before her gave Callen a rush, as he suspected it would. The woman accepted the apology immediately then Aro spent the rest of the evening making her scream in pleasure. He was completely forgiven by the next morning.

Caius took a slower, more romantic approach since he knew she would appreciate the gesture. Not used to trying to please a woman outside of a bedroom, Caius had asked Felix and Demetri for advice. Demetri was skilled when it came to women and Felix had been spending a significant amount of time with Callen. Their advice had been helpful and practical. He put it all to good use. A different bouquet of flowers a day, each with their own personalized message. Hand painted landscapes, small gifts of jewelry, new books lain on her bedside table, all of these and more continued for a few weeks.

Finally one evening Caius was lying on his bed, sketching the next painting he wanted to do. The door opened slowly and the smells that entered the room let him know who it was without looking. Flowers, black tea, nutmeg, and a trace of blood. Callen. Her blood didn't bother him at all; something he was immensely grateful for. Especially now when she crawled into bed and snuggled her way into his arms. The sketch book no longer holding any interest, Caius laid it on the bed then wrapped his arms around his mate.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was small and sounded broken, like she was on the verge of tears. Her head was tucked under his chin and so he couldn't see her face. Caius simply pulled her body onto his without a word. Her legs fell to either side of his hips, her shoulders were just below his, and her head remained in relatively the same place. Her stature was so small that the position worked and Callen relaxed at the comfort it provided.

"I apologize as well." The woman sighed then wiggled slightly so she was up far enough to nuzzle her cheek against his. He chuckled and Callen's small hand poked his stomach in question.

"I am known across the world for my temper and my cruelty. Yet here I am holding you intimately and letting you nuzzle my cheek. What would my enemies think?" His tone was joking and Callen rolled her eyes while she laughed.

"You're in love. I think a soft side is excusable. Especially since your mate is the only one that sees it and she won't tell anyone."

Smiling at the tone of teasing in her voice, Caius gently bit the shell of her ear in retaliation. What he didn't expect, was the throaty moan that escaped her at the action. Completely embarrassed with herself, Callen tried to scramble away. Growling, Caius flipped them so he hovered over her then kissed her roughly. The woman's struggles ceased as she returned the kiss. Her hands came up and began tugging at his hair while their kiss continued.

 **WARNING. MATURE CONTENT!**

As their kisses progressed, Callen suddenly bit roughly on Caius's lower lip. The feeling startled him enough that a groan escaped him and caused his hips to buck. An answering moan from Callen made him press his hips tightly to her core. The next sound from his mate was breathless so he moved his lips down to her neck so she could breathe. He placed kisses and the occasional nip to her neck while she caught her breath. He wasn't paying proper attention, being distracted by the feel of her skin on his lips, so her next move caught him by surprise.

Her legs wrapped completely around his hips then she moved her hips in a motion that made his teeth clench to keep a moan from escaping. Looking up at her face, Caius could tell that the move was completely intentional and she knew exactly where it could lead. Callen, realizing that she had found an advantage, moved her hips in the same motion. This time a deep moan erupted from Caius's lips and it was the most erotic thing Callen had ever heard. His mind completely clouded by lust, Caius had his mate's clothes off in a matter of seconds. Most of his clothing followed before he couldn't stay away from her skin for another moment.

He was left in just his briefs and her undergarments were the only thing he hadn't managed to get yet. His lips kissed and sucked along her body, leaving dark marks occasionally that would last for a few days. Callen was panting underneath him and suddenly did the same motion with her hips. Not fully in control of himself Caius snarled in pleasure and his hips jerked roughly, knocking into Callen's pelvic bone by accident. A pained gasp, soft but still audible, passed her lips.

 **END OF MATURE CONTENT**

The sound of Callen's pain was enough to break Caius from his haze. Pulling her legs from around his waist, he rolled away and onto his back. Callen whimpered at the sudden loss of contact then tried to roll over to him. A sharp command from him made her stop short and her eyes filled with hurt. Nodding, the woman rolled away and off the bed. Realizing how it might have sounded, Caius tried to apologize but she cut him off.

"Forget it, I know why we can't. I'm just a stupid fragile human. Don't even worry about it." With that said, Callen grabbed her clothes and tried to leave but found Caius blocking her way. Trying to hide her face, she told him to move but he refused. He tilted her face up and confirmed his fear; she was crying.

"Callen. My darling, my love, you are my world. To do anything that could hurt you would kill me. I will not risk injuring you when you're in such a fragile state. We have just gotten you to start eating again. You are in no state for such activities right now." Callen looked into his eyes, suspicious and slightly confused. "Yes, I am saying that once you are healthier that we can discuss trying. However, my brothers will also be present. I would not keep them from the wonderful experience of your first time and it will also help keep each of us in check. I can tell this means a great deal to you so I promise that we will try."

The woman smiled and nodded happily before she hugged him. Then the two went back to the bed and cuddled as Callen fell asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Time passed quickly and all things were forgiven. Marcus hadn't even needed to put effort into an apology, he simply gave Callen lessons on history. They both enjoyed spending time together and Callen had always loved new things.

Court life was slow but things were beginning to subtly pick up. Callen had made the decision to be changed before the end of May and it was just turning into April. The decision had been prompted by a vampire informing the Kings that news of Callen's existence had spread. Her status as Queen, mate of all three Kings, and a human all made her the quickest and simplest way to take down the Volturi. Though she had her gift to protect her, she would not allow herself to be the weak link nor would she allow her mates to get hurt protecting her.

So the date was set and word spread even faster. Many vampires loyal to the Volturi were making excuses to visit in an effort to get a glimpse of the Queen. She was never in the throne room when this happened, unwilling to meet their allies until she had been turned. Not wanting to cause her discomfort or risk her safety, the Kings had completely agreed with the decision.

On a slower day with only one visitor expected, Callen spent most of the day in the library. She was slowly teaching herself Italian with the occasional help from her mates. Rubbing her eyes, the woman stood and stretched. Looking through the window, she could tell it was almost sundown. Hours had run by while she studied and her head felt a bit fuzzy. Opening the doors to the corridor, the woman frowned at the clenching in her gut. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

She slowly made her way toward the throne room, getting more nervous at the lack of people. She could usually hear some chatter and she would always run into a vampire or two. Right now though, there was nothing. Turning a corner, Callen suddenly caught sight of a grey cloak and called out. A member of the lower guard whose name she didn't know, appeared in front of her.

"What's going on? Where is everyone?" The vampire looked shocked to see Callen then became nervous. He didn't seem willing to answer her. Once he saw the no-nonsense look on her face though, he became quite talkative.

"There was a report of a pack of Children of the Moon terrorizing the outskirts of Florence. Once it was confirmed, Master Caius took the best of the guard to destroy them. It's the second night of the full moon, the beasts will be out in full force. Masters Aro and Marcus remained behind to defend the castle. Someone was supposed to fetch you and bring you to them. I can take you there now if you wish."

Callen shook her head in disgust. It was so typical of Caius to run out without telling her but Children of the Moon were dangerous. Her instincts were screaming that she needed to be with him; she needed to stand by his side.

"No. Carry me on your back and run. We're going to Florence to help. That's an order." Since the man looked ready to argue, Callen added the last bit without hesitation. He nodded then immediately knelt on the floor so she could climb onto his back. Thanking her lucky stars that she had worn cloth shorts under her dress, the woman wrapped her arms around the vampire's neck. He grabbed her legs as he stood, helping steady her before telling her to hold on tightly.

He began running and within seconds they were outside the city walls. Florence was hours away normally but at this speed it would only take 15 minutes. Vampire speed had its perks. Suddenly the guard stopped and basically dropped her. When she saw how dark his eyes were Callen immediately understood; he hadn't fed in a long time. Having a human so close was dangerously hard for him.

"You don't have to say anything, I understand. Point me in the right direction then return to Volterra. If we do not return an hour after the sun has set, tell Aro and Marcus where I am. Feed before you return, outside of the city."

The man nodded gratefully before speeding off. Callen turned and began walking in the direction he pointed. A deep sigh left her lips. She had a very long walk ahead of her.


	20. Chapter 20

Nearly 30 minutes of walking later, Callen was struggling through a wooded area. The sun had set nearly 15 minutes ago and the moon was very visible. She was so lost in thought, worrying about Caius's safety that she almost ignored the sudden goosebumps on her skin. The woman stopped walking and immediately looked up.

Crouched in a tree 20 feet away, a bright pair of eyes that belonged to a barely visible werewolf stared at her. As soon as their gazes connected, the creature snarled and jumped for her. Her mental shield stopped the attack then suddenly wrapped around the animal. It snarled then attempted to struggle but Callen's shield was stronger than diamonds.

"Look at me. Hush now, you're alright. I won't hurt you unless I have to." Propelled by her curiosity, Callen kept the werewolf immobile as she moved closer. The snarling stopped and every muscle in the creature's body locked in place as the woman ran her fingers gently through its fur. The fur was coarse and dirty but not matted like she had expected. This animal took care of itself. As if remembering how close a food source was, the wolf began struggling again.

Callen stood on the tips of her toes as she attempted to look into its eyes. The large yellow pupil locked onto hers and the beast stilled again. It seemed calm this time, instead of being in shock. Icy blue stared into poison yellow for a few minutes.

"I know you understand what I'm saying, I can see it in your eyes. Now push past the cloudiness in your mind. The moon holds sway over your physical form, don't let it control your mind as well. Do you understand?" Callen's voice was slow, heavy, and sweet. It was meant to calm and comfort while also penetrating. There was a lesson to be learned, for the both of them.

The werewolf's eyes seemed to cool. Instead of the bright yellow, they turned darker until they were the color of butterscotch. Callen thought of the Cullen's eyes for a moment but dismissed it. The man inside was taking control of the beast, returning to reason.

Just as Callen was going to drop her shield, a loud howl pierced the night. The werewolf began struggling as its pupils again became bright yellow. The woman pushed her shield away, tossing the wolf some distance and into a tree. The animal immediately turned tail and ran in the direction of the howl.

"Pack tendencies and loyalties. How interesting." Callen spoke aloud as she began running after him. The howl was probably a call for every werewolf to join the fight. As she got deeper into the forest, she started hearing the sound of a vicious fight. Now the woman had to hope she wasn't too late.

Caius growled deeply as he threw a werewolf into a tree. He felt a deep satisfaction as he heard the creature's spine snap. It wouldn't kill it but the injury would keep it downed for a moment. One of the mongrels howled loudly but he wasn't too worried. According to the count he had received, there were only 20 Children of the Moon in this pack. His guard could handle that. To his left, Felix pulled one of the mutts apart with his hands then dumped the pieces into a fire. On his right, Jane was torturing another one. It whined and writhed until Alec stabbed a silver knife through its brain.

A movement to his left made him turn. What he saw honestly scared him more than anything had in a long time. Crouched on the ground, clinging to tree trunks, and hanging on boughs, were over 30 werewolves. That made at least 50 enemies versus him and his top guards. They couldn't possibly handle them all. Some vampires were going to lose their lives tonight. There was a moment of stunned silence that was broken quickly by the werewolves charging.


	21. Chapter 21

Minutes had passed but it felt like hours, even to Caius. Every vampire had been armed with various silver weapons before they left the castle. This gave them a slight advantage but they were being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Suddenly a screeching sound was heard followed by a scream on pain. Alec, trying to protect his sister, had gotten distracted. The lapse in concentration didn't go unnoticed and now a werewolf had its jaws latched onto the boy's shoulder.

Just before the animal could shake its large head and do more damage, it squealed in pain. Alec dropped to the ground followed by the now dead wolf. Standing in its place holding one of Alec's daggers, was Callen. Her eyes were holding the wrath of a thousand hurricanes and she looked ready to kill everyone and everything.

Dropping the knife, the woman stepped over the creature then lifted her hands. Every wolf in sight was suddenly unable to move. It looked like they were each trapped in their own individual bubbles. Each vampire that was still standing looked to Callen in shock. Slowly and without blinking, the woman began closing her hands into fists. The bubbles holding the Children of the Moon began getting smaller.

Smaller and smaller until the bones began cracking. Pained howls filled the air but Callen didn't stop. Her face was completely blank and Caius hardly recognized her. Her hands kept closing until they were complete fists. Each bubble was not the size of a bowling ball and there was no chance any of the werewolves had survived. Callen suddenly dropped her hands back to her sides as her body slumped forward and the bubbles disappeared. Caius caught her and whispered softly into her hair. A werewolf, hidden until this moment, rushed out of the bushes nearest Callen.

"Stop!" The woman's voice was sharp and cold. To everyone's surprise, the creature did as it was told and sat calmly at her feet. Felix made to move towards the animal but Callen held her hand out to stop him as she finally stood without help.

"No. I'm keeping this one alive. He's different and I want to find out why." Felix nodded and nobody, not even Caius, questioned her decision. The woman turned her attention to Jane who was cradling her brother's head in her lap. Crouching, the Queen moved his shirt away and looked at his wound.

"Children of the Moon have a venom of their own. It is carried in their saliva. Humans get bitten, they get the disease. If a vampire gets bitten, they become paralyzed. He needs a steady supply of blood or else it will become permanent." Jane sobbed while she spoke, her eyes filled with tears that could never fall. Callen ran her fingers through the girl's hair, wordlessly comforting her.

"Do not worry. We will get him home and I will see to it personally that he is taken care of. Felix?" The hulking vampire stepped forward immediately. "Will you pick up our dear Alec? We're going home the quickest way possible."

Once Felix had settled his friend in his arms, Callen stood and faced away from everyone. She clapped her hands together then slowly drew them apart. In front of her, a portal began opening. The guard members who had never seen the Queen use her gift, stared in awe. The other side of the portal showed the throne room and they could even see people on the other side. Aro was pacing nervously and Marcus was sitting in his throne, staring into space. Looking behind her, the woman nodded for Felix to go first. He did as ordered then the others began walking through.

"Demetri, please tell Aro and Marcus that we will be along shortly. I have some business to finish up here." The tracker nodded before stepping through the portal. It closed behind him and Callen turned to face the werewolf still seated calmly.

"Alright now, what to do with you?" Callen scratched the creature's head like it was a regular dog. The wolf hummed in pleasure and closed its eyes. "I can't take you home while you're like this. Can you remember to find me when you change back? Good. Come to Volterra as soon as you stop being a dog at night. Now shoo, go find an animal to eat."

The werewolf nudged her leg with its head then loped off into the forest. The woman sighed then turned around. For the first time since she had entered the fight, Callen truly looked at her mate.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt? Did any of them touch you? I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I could have kept anyone from getting hurt at all." She didn't realized she was rambling until Caius kissed her passionately.

"You are the most amazing creature I have ever beheld. Do you realize that you eradicated at least 40 werewolves on your own without breaking a sweat? I have never known anyone that is anywhere close to being capable of that. I love you and I thank the Fates every day for bringing you to us."

Callen blushed at the praise then kissed him again. Then she put her hand in his and pulled him toward Florence. Alec needed a constant supply of blood in order to heal. Being so close to this city specifically, Callen had the perfect idea of what human to use.

 **A.N. Please review and give me critiques or anything you'd like to happen in the story!**


	22. Chapter 22

A man was sitting at his desk, looking over multiple papers. The small lamp was shining brightly and illuminated every spare inch of the desk. Black hair with hints of grey was tousled; he had run his hands through it many times in the past week. He knew he should be sleeping but he needed to find the girl. His eyes flickered to the only framed picture on the desk.

Callen stood on a beach cliff, staring out at the ocean. A man about her age stood next to her, staring at her with a dopey smile on his face. His hand was stretched out, like he was about to grab the woman's hand. She had escaped her captors 2 months after this picture had been taken. Without her, their research had come to a complete standstill. His superiors had threatened his life if he didn't find her. It was suspected that she was somewhere in Europe but narrowing down her location beyond that would be hard.

"Where are you Callen? You didn't go home, you didn't go to any of the usual places. You made a blind jump. Why can't we find you?" The man's whisper penetrated the quiet night. He didn't expect an answer but a hand suddenly wrapped around his throat then pulled him out of his chair.

"You couldn't find me because I never wanted you to Doctor Stein." Callen stepped from the shadows by the window. Her eyes reflected the lamplight and seemed to glow. She looked the man up and down before she nodded to the person holding him. The woman pressed a hand to the wall and opened a portal. The man was shoved through and landed on a cold stone floor. A blonde man stepped through followed by Callen. She looked different, her hair was longer and her expression wasn't so ice cold.

"Callen! At last you have rejoined us! Thank goodness! Demetri told us you would be along in your own time but we were beginning to worry!" Stein watched another man kiss Callen deeply even though she had her fingers laced with the blonde's hand. When he pulled away, she smiled then looked at the third man who had joined them. He too kissed her and she let him.

"You're bedding three men at the same time now? And using your powers freely? Tsk tsk. What would Henry say?" Stein's voice was cruel and he expected the woman to flinch like she used to. Back when Henry's opinion mattered to her. What he didn't expect was for her to stride over and roughly backhand him. The blow had a low of power, enough to knock him over and fully onto the floor. Callen crouched next to him and spoke quietly.

"I couldn't care less about what that coward would say. He should have jumped off that cliff when I told him to. I left him, you, and that life behind me long ago. Now I have a new family and you're going to help heal one of them." When the man protested, saying he wouldn't lift a finger to assist, she laughed cruelly. "Don't worry Doctor Stein, you won't have to lift anything. In fact, you won't be moving much at all."

Callen looked past him then stood up and nodded at whoever was there. Arms abruptly lifted the doctor then spun him around. He found himself facing a massive set of pectoral muscles. They belonged to a man who seemed to have muscles everywhere else too.

"Felix, be a darling and help me escort the doctor to Alec's room. He's going to be our blood bag." Minutes later, Doctor Stein had been strapped tightly into a chair near a bed. Laying on the bed was a young man who didn't seem to be breathing. He stared at the boy, fascinated by his unnatural beauty. Some harsh expletives left the doctor's mouth when a large needle suddenly pierced his neck. Callen smiled as she taped it down so it wouldn't fall out.

"There, now we just bring this line over here." The woman mumbled as she worked. An IV live, quickly filling with the doctor's blood, trailed to the bed then into the boy's mouth. Slow, fat drops of blood came out of the end at a steady pace.

"Remember the fairy tales that parents read to their children when they're young? The stories about vampires, werewolves, and all other mystical creatures? Well some of them have a bit of truth to them. Alec here for example, is a vampire. He was attacked by a werewolf and became paralyzed. A constant supply of blood will help make him better. That service is going to be provided by you, good doctor." Callen stood in front of Stein as she spoke but her eyes never left the bed. "I don't care if you believe in any of this; it doesn't matter either way. At this rate, your body will run out of blood in 3 days. That's if Alec doesn't recover first and finish you off."

"Do you expect me to just sit here the entire time?! I'll go mad before tomorrow night!" Doctor Stein's voice was angry and full of acid. He tried to keep a brave face but the look on Callen's face terrified him. Everything he had done to her, every experiment, every beating, all of it suddenly flashed in his mind.

"No. You'll be assisted in moving to use the restroom when necessary. I also have a way to keep you busy and if I'm lucky, you'll lose your mind much sooner. Jane?" A young woman, a female version of the boy on the bed, stepped into the room. "Keep him occupied. Give him a 15 minute break every now and then."

Callen closed the door and stepped away. She had only taken 2 steps when the screaming began. A soft smile covered her face, despite her best intentions. Revenge, long awaited, felt absolutely amazing.


	23. Chapter 23

Callen had returned to her bedroom while she waited for her mates. There were still court issues to be taken care of but she was too tired and it wasn't necessary for her to be there. A few hours had passed when Jane knocked on the door. Doctor Stein had suddenly lost consciousness.

"I figured as much. I'm honestly surprised that he lasted the pain as long as he did. Did you enjoy yourself?" Jane beamed and nodded before giving a recap of what happened. The young girl hadn't been allowed to use her power so extensively before and she was elated. Callen listened for a while before sending the girl off to look after her brother. When she was alone again, the woman slowly sat on the bed. Her legs ached from her long trek through the countryside and her skin felt horribly dirty.

Shrugging, she stood up and made her way toward the bathroom. Her dress fell to the floor, soon followed by the rest of her clothing in a trail as she padded slowly to the shower. Steam quickly filled the room as Callen turned the water extremely hot. The shower stall was overlarge, with enough room to fit at least 6 people comfortably.

Not much time passed before the woman realized that she wasn't alone anymore. All three of her mates had joined her in the shower. Callen smiled at them as she stumbled toward them. Cold arms caught her then held tight.

"Caius told us that you fought bravely. If not for you, we would have lost many valuable guard members. It was good that you were there." Aro's voice was soft and relaxing. While he spoke, Marcus began cleaning Callen's hair and Caius washed her body. Realizing that she wasn't in trouble, the woman took a deep breath. All three vampires felt and watched as their mate's muscles loosened considerably.

"I was so scared. I didn't think I would get there in time. I thought I'd find everyone dead. Who was it that supplied the count of the werewolves?" Caius gave a name as he continued to scrub the dirt off the woman's legs. Aro was standing behind her, helping her balance. "Well they can't count and I want them killed. Tomorrow. For tonight, I just want to stay locked in our room. Just the four of us doing whatever we want."

There was a unanimous agreement to the Queen's statement. Tonight there would be no politics, no problems, and no battles to be fought. Just a group of lovers who wanted nothing more than each other.

The evening passed slowly, in a relaxing fashion. Callen awoke the next morning completely refreshed and ready for anything. Not willing to be away from their mate longer than necessary, the Kings followed her on her daily march to the kitchens. Though nobody would ever dare say as much, the sight fascinated many.

Callen looked sharp but regal in her deep blue skirt that was complimented by a long sleeved white lace blouse. Her black heels finished the look as they glided across the floors. Marcus and Caius looked dashing in their dress pants, dress shirts and shined shoes. Marcus was wearing a vest while Caius had opted for a simple blazer. Aro was wearing an all-black suit with only a dark blue tie as a splash of color.

Knowing that her mates didn't care much about fashion, Callen had taken to dressing them. She enjoyed it, and the way they looked, so therefore the Kings enjoyed it. The trip to the kitchen was short since Callen only grabbed her tea and a breakfast bar before leaving. Eating while they walked, the woman made sure to acknowledge every person they saw. Human and vampire alike all received a greeting. Marcus, ever the curious scholar, asked why she did so.

"I think it's good for them and us. Before I came here, you three were untouchable. Nobody but the highest guard members dared to talk to you. I want to be the bridge between you three and the rest of the castle. Treating everyone kindly will make for less enemies." The Kings looked stunned but they knew she was right. Slow, guilty smiled spread across all three men's faces. Their mate was amazing and continued to prove herself as a valuable addition to their lives.


	24. Chapter 24

Doctor Stein slumped as far forward in his chair as was possible. His shoulders had been strapped to the back on the chair and he couldn't move his legs. Blood had slowly been leaving his body but he was really starting to feel it now. The doctor didn't know how long he would be able to handle this.

The door cracked open and Stein panicked. He knew it was that blonde demon again. She had hurt him without even touching him and he was terrified. That pain was something he didn't ever want to experience again. However, it was Callen that walked through followed by the three men from the throne room. The man felt relief so violently that he nearly sobbed.

"Please Callen, let me go. I can't take this any longer. That blonde monster tortured me! Please, just let me go. You're better than this! Didn't you always say you wanted to be the better person?" The woman's expression cracked slightly before she controlled it. Begging for his life wasn't going to do any good but it hadn't hurt to try.

"I already told you doctor, you aren't going anywhere. We're only here to get information from you then Jane is going to keep you company again." The man protested and began pleading again but Callen only turned to face Aro. "Darling, I'm warning you now. I don't know what you're looking for but that man has seen and done terrible things to me. Even things I don't remember or was unconscious for. No matter what you see, you must not kill him. Alec still needs him."

Aro nodded and his jaw visibly tightened as he stepped toward the blubbering man. Something in Aro's expression much have registered with Stein because he became pale and silent. The vampire touched the man's hand and closed his eyes. Only a handful of seconds passed before Aro flitted back to Callen's side. His expression was now stone cold and she hated that.

"I have what we need. Come, we have much to discuss but not here. I will kill this filth if I remain a moment longer." Aro was very close to losing control of his calm exterior, closer than Callen had ever seen. Knowing they had to move quickly, she did the first thing she could think of to help. She wrapped her arms around Aro's neck and allowed him to carry her like a bride. The group would get to the throne room quickly and having his mate touching him would keep the man calm.

The rest of the morning was a bit of a blur for Callen. Aro stomped around the throne room, screaming obscenities in multiple languages. A priceless collection of books was nearly thrown across the room before Callen stopped the rampaging vampire. The Queen had no idea what Aro had wanted to know and now she didn't want to bother asking. Watching carefully in case anyone decided to break other precious items, Callen attempted to listen to the King's conversation. They were speaking rapidly in Italian, something to do with plans and a celebration but that was all she caught.

"My Queen, I am sorry to interrupt." A quiet voice next to her ear made the woman jump slightly. Demetri was standing there looking extremely anxious. "It seems you have a visitor. He's very insistent on speaking only to you."

Callen nodded and slipped out of the room quietly, leaving her mates to their schemes. As they walked, Demetri explained that the man had been asked to wait in Callen's private study. She hardly used the room but it was perfect for situation like this where she had to receive guests. The woman thanked Demetri then slowly opened the door; being extremely cautious as to who could be waiting. Blue eyes met a pair of dark gold and the Queen immediately knew who had come to see her.

"Well I'm glad you were able to find me, I know it was a bit of a journey." Sitting in her favorite desk chair was an exotically handsome man. His eyes however, gave him away as the werewolf Callen had saved. He had finally found her.


	25. Chapter 25

The two spent over an hour together simply discussing what had happened to the man. His name was Charles and he had been a werewolf for such a long time that he couldn't remember how old he was. Another wolf bit him when he was a teenager and pack life was all he had known until now. Callen listened intently the entire time but now her mind was elsewhere. He was a Child of the Moon, he had killed multiple people, the Kings would never allow him to live.

"One of your group was injured during the fight, is that correct?" Charles's voice raised in strange places with an accent but he could still be understood. When Callen affirmed his suspicions, he continued. "If they have been bitten then they need a steady supply of blood and a dose of anti-venom."

"We have him on a steady blood bag but we didn't know about an anti-venom. Where do we get it?" The man licked his teeth slowly before he gave the information. Werewolves often bit each other when fighting and their blood naturally contained an enzyme to combat it. A little bit of blood, when supplied willingly, could get rid of the lasting toxins. Naturally Callen asked Charles if he would be willing to help.

"I would be more than happy to assist you if you will promise me one thing in return." The woman bluntly told him that she couldn't promise to keep him alive. "That's just the thing your Majesty, I don't want to be kept alive. Once I help your friend, I ask that you end my life. A Child of the Moon can only die by the hand of another. I am a monster, I have murdered many people and I think it is high time I paid for my sins. I only ask that it be as painless as possible."

Gaping like a fish, Callen stared at the man in front of her for a moment. He looked haggard and his eyes held a haunted look in them. Eyes that had seen far too much and were now weary of the world. Charles wasn't the type of person that was meant for this life, his soul was too gentle. This was a man who had decided what he wanted and now he had asked the only person he knew that could get it done.

"Charles, are you sure? I mean, I don't feel comfortable sentencing someone to die for something they can't control."

"If you don't have me killed before the next full moon terrible things will happen. A werewolf without a pack is a very dangerous thing. I could go on a rampage and create more like me. Hundreds dead because their bodies couldn't handle the turning. It would be a catastrophe." Callen sighed and looked at her fingernails as she processed the information. The woman looked Charles in the eye as she came to a decision.

"Fine. You will heal Alec with your blood. Once he is recovered, and only then, he will be the one to kill you." She stuttered over the last few words but immediately composed herself. When he agreed, they stood and began walking together to the room Alec was being kept in.

The walk was silent and a bit awkward but the pair got to the room with no trouble. Doctor Stein was still strapped to his chair but he was either asleep or unconscious. Alec hadn't moved but he didn't look like he was made of stone as he did yesterday.

"His face looks good; he will recover very quickly once he is given the anti-venom." Charles's voice broke the silence and the unexpected sound awoke the doctor. Stein seemed to realize that it was better to stay quiet and so he simply watched. The werewolf walked around the bed and sat on the edge, usually occupied by Jane.

Using his canine teeth, which were sharper than a normal human's, Charles bit into his own wrist. Blood flowed heavily from the wound and into the vampire's open mouth. It mixed with Stein's blood and began to disappear down Alec's throat. The man stood and licked the wound to stop the bleeding then moved to Callen's side as they all waited to see what would happen.

Minutes passed with no sign of change until the boy's eyes snapped open. At the same time, another drop of the doctor's blood fell into Alec's mouth. With only a slight movement, the vampire took the tube into his mouth and used it like a straw. Stein groaned as he began losing blood at a much faster rate. The man was dead before the next 60 seconds could pass and Alec had risen from the bed.

"How do you feel?" Callen spoke quickly. Alec looked at her hungrily before he swallowed slightly and bowed.

"I feel spectacular my Queen but I will admit that I am still rather thirsty. It is manageable but I'm not sure for how long." The woman nodded and turned, heading for the door. Both men followed her without a word, understanding her silent command. They moved quickly through the castle, Alec and Charles silently examining each other. They reached a seemingly random office among a few others. Without knocking, Callen entered but motioned for the men to stay out in the hallway.

"Hey get out! Who do you think – oh." An obnoxious voice drifted into the hallway. It belonged to a woman and was extremely nasally.

"Get out." The Queen's voice was ice cold and left no room for argument. A man in his mid-thirties stumbled out while buttoning up his work slacks. Upon seeing Alec and Charles, he whispered a prayer in Italian before running away.

"Months ago you received a letter, well more of a threat really, that warned you. If I ever acquired information that you were speaking ill of myself or the Kings again, you would be disposed of. Your friend received the same message, as I'm sure you're well aware. A few days ago you were overheard speaking negatively of Marcus and myself." The woman quietly asked if this meant she was being fired. Callen laughed slightly.

"I suppose so, in a way. You are being disposed of, in every sense of the word. According to our records, you have applied for a long vacation to the Rocky Mountains in America. We will report you missing 2 weeks from now but nobody will ever find any trace of you. It will be like you never existed." A pained gasp was heard then Callen strolled out of the office. "Alec, enjoy your meal. Try not to make too much of a mess, I'm sure someone else would like that office."

The vampire nodded and stepped into the room. The door closed slowly and only the briefest scream was heard. A few human employees peeked their heads out to see the cause of the noise but retreated just as quickly. They all knew Callen didn't kill uselessly. However, if you weren't a mate of the Queen, you almost never got a second chance.


	26. Chapter 26

Once Alec had finished and taken care of the body, the Queen led them to the throne room. Aro had finally begun to calm down from his tantrum. Marcus and Caius were speaking quietly to a human secretary who was quickly jotting something down in a notebook. The quiet was broken by the large doors being pushed open and Callen entering.

"My darling Callen! So good to know you have finished your personal business!" Aro's voice was almost childlike in its excitement then continued as he spotted the woman's company. "Alec is finally recovered as well, how absolutely splendid! However, I don't know your new friend. I believe introductions will be required?"

Callen smiled gently and nodded, already accustomed to Aro's differing moods. The woman watched as Alec flitted to his sister's side. The twins had a silent but meaningful reunion, never having been apart for such a period of time. Charles, obviously uncomfortable with all the vampires in the room, moved closer to Callen.

"This is Charles. He is the werewolf that I spared a few days ago. It is thanks to him, and the anti-venom in his blood, that Alec has recovered." Once she finished speaking, the woman quickly gave her hand to Aro. Her thoughts rushed through him and he smiled. Their Queen had to be one the kindest people he had ever met but she was not to be trifled with. Aro knew he could trust all of her decision and that pleased him to no end.

Turning and facing Charles, the Queen ordered everyone out of the room except for a select few. The Kings, Alec, Jane, and Felix were the only ones that were chosen to stay. Callen instructed Alec on what he would be doing for Charles while Aro brought his brothers up to speed on the situation. Both Marcus and Caius agreed with her decision. Sighing, the woman hugged the werewolf tightly before stepping back.

"Children of the Moon have given us many troubles in our history. However, here is one that I am loathe to put an end to." As she spoke, a translucent white mist slithered across the floor toward Charles. "Though I wish there could be a different way, it is impossible. My mates have been clear in their laws and fair in their ruling. Children of the Moon, whether friend or enemy, must be killed. Now I ask you Charles, Child of the Mood, do you have any final words?"

In the seconds before the mist touched him, Charles murmured a quiet 'thank you' then closed his eyes. Alec's power touched him and all of his senses immediately stopped working. Callen nodded to Felix who snapped the man's neck. Unable to watch, the woman turned away as Alec helped Felix move the body out of the room. When it was just the four of them, the Kings flocked around their mate as she let out the tiniest sniffle.

 **A.N. Sorry this one was so short! I just wanted to be able to move on but I didn't think this belonged in the previous chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	27. Chapter 27

The rest of the month passed quickly and Callen dealt with her friend's death. The woman spent a lot of time in the library soaking up as much knowledge as possible. When her mates asked why, she explained that she didn't want to enter an immortal life at too much of a disadvantage.

"I only learned the basics when they were testing on me. I want to learn as many things as I can. I want to be able to stand beside you all confidently. To know enough that I can make a decision and know it will be the right one." Callen knew that her answer made them happy because they all threw themselves into helping her.

Aro taught her mostly politics, science, and vampire life; Caius helped her with math, art, literature. She learned history and languages with Marcus but couldn't seem to get the hang of a lot of Italian terms. However, without any of them really noticing, the month of April turned to May and Callen's time was running out. They hadn't discussed how it would happen, just that all three men would be a part of it.

It was the final week of May and Callen had become extremely jittery. To help alleviate her nerves, the woman began spending a lot of time with Jane and Alec. They gave her advice about how to control her thirst but they also walked her around the city. Returning to the castle after one such early morning walk, they were intercepted by Demetri. The tracker whispered into Jane's ear then stood back stoically.

"So it is as we thoughts. How interesting." As usual Jane sounded completely apathetic. She turned to Callen and sighed delicately. "There has been an outbreak of newborns in Seattle Washington. Demetri was sent to assess the situation before reporting back to me. It turns out that these newborns were created as part of an army. Their purpose, we think, is to destroy the Cullens. I would have gone to Aro with this information but..." The girl's sentence trailed away uncertainly. Callen finished it.

"Aro's decisions are most likely being watched by Alice Cullen, I understand." The Queen nodded before putting her hand son Jane's tiny shoulders. "Take Demetri, Felix, and your brother to Washington. Watch from a distance then make your own call. End them yourselves or let the Cullens take the attack. Either way, I want these newborns gone. Try to find their creator and make sure they are punished as well."

After a few more details had been worked out, Callen left Jane to her duties. She began making her way to the throne room when someone joined her. Heidi kept a human's pace next to her Queen and alerted her to the drama in the throne room. Apparently Athenodora, Caius's ex-wife, had returned to the castle. The wives had been taken from the castle and slowly weaned off Corin's power. After that, they had been left with a small fortune to do whatever they wanted. Athenodora seemed to take that to mean she could return to Caius if she wished.

Caius had been spending the last half an hour trying to make her understand that he didn't want her. He was hesitant to tell her that Callen was his true mate as that information hadn't been given to the wives. She wasn't getting the message and Heidi had gotten fed up with it. The gorgeous vampire had excused herself and immediately searched for Callen. Once she heard the entire story, Callen puffed up in anger and jealousy.

"That ungrateful bitch! I gave her back her freedom and how does she thank me? By coming back here and trying to put her filthy hands all over one of **my** mates! How dare she?!" Her steps quickened and with the anger of a thousand storms swirling in her eyes, the Queen marched to the throne room to show Athenodora who was the true mate.


	28. Chapter 28

As she got closer to the doors of the throne room, Callen slowed her steps to run her fingers through her hair. Heidi helped her then wordlessly handed a tube of clear lip-gloss to the Queen. Everyone could already see that Callen was beautiful but the woman had never tried to play it up. This seemed like as good a time as any. The vampire helped pinch Callen's cheeks just enough to get some color in them. Then Heidi told Callen to scrub her fingers behind her ears a little bit.

"There are scent glands there that naturally produce oil. The Kings will go crazy with your scent permeating the air." The woman smiled gratefully then stopped right in front of the large golden doors. Her small hands ran down her clothing then a quick nod caused Heidi to push the doors open.

Every eye in the room turned to see the new arrival and if the Kings had been human, their hearts would have stopped. Callen looked absolutely breathtaking. Her inky black hair was slightly tousled with its natural gentle curls, black heeled boots clicked along the floors, jeans hugged her legs and a black faux leather blouse accentuated her every curve. The ice blue eyes that the Queen was known for were flashing dangerously but they were fixed solidly on Caius.

Standing far too close to Caius was Athenodora. She had her blonde hair up in a tight bun and her clothes draped across her body. When Callen stood face to face with the vampire, it was like looking at complete opposites. Dark versus light, slender contrasting curvy, blue eyes against red, their differences couldn't have been more obvious. Athenodora tensed her body, preparing for a fight, but Callen merely stepped around her. The woman then pushed Caius into his throne (he was too stunned to object) and kissed him fiercely. A sharp hiss from Athenodora broke the silence a moment later, causing the couple to separate.

"You didn't tell me that you'd gotten a new mate! A human too. Are you sure she isn't just a temporary play thing?" One of the guard members snarled viciously but Callen put her hand up and they fell silent. The Queen waited for Caius to say something but when he didn't, she spoke quickly.

"Someone should have told you before you took all the effort of coming here. I apologize for that. However, your marriage to Caius has been annulled and the Kings have discovered that I am their true mate. You have no special gift and you offer nothing substantial to the Volturi. Athenodora, I'm sorry but we cannot allow you to stay here with us. It is time you found your own place in the world." The female vampire looked angry for a moment then sorrow took over her expression. She threw herself at Caius who instinctively caught her as she began sobbing.

Callen stiffened and her hands balled into fists as she watched the encounter. Caius wasn't even trying to push her away! Aro came to her side and the woman assumed he was going to make Athenodora leave. So when he told Callen to give Caius another moment with his ex-wife, the Queen nearly lost her composure. This woman had waltzed back into their lives and her mates weren't doing anything to try to stop it! Keeping her face neutral and her skin away from Aro, she nodded.

"Alright, I'll give you all some time with her. I'm going to my room. When you're ready come to the library, I have something for you all." Not paying attention, none of the Kings seemed to think her words were strange. They didn't notice she had told them to go to one area of the castle when she said she would be in another. As she walked out of the throne room, Callen had a feeling that they wouldn't be looking for her for quite a while.

Huffing in anger and jealousy, the Queen of the Volturi walked to the complete other side of the castle. Checking to make sure she hadn't been followed, Callen opened a nearly invisible side door. It opened into an alley and offered a great opportunity; nobody watching the main part of the castle would see her leave. She stepped into the alley then began walking away. If the Kings could be entertained by another woman, Callen could let herself be entertained by other men.


	29. Chapter 29

A few hours had passed since Callen left and Marcus was growing weary of being near Athenodora. He had managed to forget how annoying she was but it was now coming back to him. Being as uninterested as he was, he began mentally picking apart the woman's outfit. It was something Callen had taught him and it seemed a good way to pass the time.

Her clothing was all new and obviously expensive, indicating she was putting her fortune to good use. The pieces fit perfectly and made for a nice outfit. Offsetting the whole look however, was her necklace. It was a glass bottle of some sort tied to a tattered leather cord. Marcus recognized it but he couldn't exactly remember where. The harder he tried to remember, the more difficult it seemed to become. That was when he realized that his vision was almost fuzzy and his brother's eyes were completely unfocused. Aside from natural gifts, there was only one force on earth that could affect multiple vampires this way.

Moving suddenly and swiftly, Marcus rushed Athenodora and caught her by surprise. The leather cord was broken, the bottle clattered to the floor, and was immediately followed by the King's heel. Athenodora screamed then attempted to back away. Her escape was blocked by Caius. His eyes were no longer unfocused and he looked furious beyond anything anyone had seen.

"You would dare attempt to use witchcraft of us?! This is how you spent your freedom?! Learning ways to try to ensnare us?!" Each question Caius asked was accentuated with a step forward. The woman scurried backward, stammering excuses and apologies, until the bodies of the guard stopped her again. The Kings stood before her in a line. They all looked livid, nearly beyond reason.

"We have spent months doing everything to make our mate happy and comfortable! Now you have managed to upset her and she's out there alone doing who knows what because she thinks we care more for you than her! Tell me what that necklace was supposed to do, now!" Aro's voice didn't hold an ounce of politeness or friendship. It was taking all of his willpower to stay in the throne room instead of running to find Callen. By the twitching of their hands, Aro could tell his brothers felt the same way.

Athenodora looked down at her hands, ashamed of herself. A guard member grabbed her and secured her arms behind her so she couldn't attempt an escape. The low growl from Caius finally prompted her to speak.

"I met a witch who promised that if I used that bottle, any man would fall in love with me. We, I mean Sulpicia and I, had been told about your new Queen. I was jealous and I wanted to hurt her. I decided to have one of you hurt her instead, only I didn't plan on it being so easy."

Loud growls filled the room then the Kings brushed past the woman on their way to the door. For a moment, the woman thought she wasn't going to be punished. Caius, however, had a plan for the woman he used to call mate. Without even slowing down, the man grabbed a lighter from his pocket and threw it at her. It was rigged to explode and as soon as it hit her skin, explode it did. She screamed and dropped to the floor trying to put the fire out to no avail. Athenodora, ex-mate of a Volturi King, was gone.

Searching the castle at vampire speed took only a few minutes for the Kings. Once it was clear that Callen had left the castle, the brothers began searching for her freshest trail. They could only hope that she had walked somewhere and not used her gift to jump. All three men knew that they had some serious apologizing to do.


	30. Chapter 30

Music pounded, lights pulsed, people laughed, sweat dripped off bodies, and still Callen kept dancing. She had found a club that was on the outskirts of Volterra, just past the large wall. Not many tourists came here but it was still lively and just what the woman needed. A few men had danced with her already and had offered to buy her drinks. She finally said yes to one but now he wouldn't leave her side.

She excused herself to the bathroom the weaved through the crowd for a few minutes. Women smiled at her, men looked over her body, and Callen felt ecstatic. This was a lot of fun for her. A new song blasted through the speakers so she slipped onto the dance floor again, letting the music move her body. The guy that bought her drink, along with some of his friends, joined her. They surrounded her and continued dancing, fighting for the beautiful woman's attention.

Hands, ice cold and refreshing, wrapped around her hips from behind. Feeling a chest against her back and smelling a familiar scent Callen closed her eyes and leaned back. A shout of protest was heard from the human men but it became muffled. Two more frigid bodies pressed on either side of her and the woman opened her eyes again. Marcus and Aro stood right in front of her while Caius held tighter to her hips. The two vampires in front of her looked worried and Callen could only smile.

"I know you're sorry. Be quiet and just dance with me." All three men relaxed then moved closer, enjoying seeing their mate have fun. They spent the next few hours dancing, none of them getting bored. Sometimes a woman would try to dance with one of the Kings who would then let the girls down easily. No human male seemed to be brave enough to approach Callen once her Kings had shown up. Complaining softly of a dry throat, Marcus went off to get the woman a water. Aro was a few feet away, politely declining another dance offer.

Caius was still standing behind Callen but had removed his hands so she could move easily. After a rare moment of silence, a different type of song began playing over the speakers. It was a remix of a rock song but Caius wouldn't find that out until he looked it up later. A body bumped into his and he instinctively looked. Once his eyes reconnected with Callen though, the vampire knew he was in trouble.

Her eyes had gotten a strange gleam and her body language had changed. Her earlier dancing had been all fun and games but this was different. Now the woman's body flowed and twisted; it was all Caius could focus on. His brothers had returned and they were just as enraptured. The way Callen was moving left no doubt that they were being punished. Her eyes warned them to keep their distance while her body only beckoned them forward. Aro took a step closer despite the warning, his body almost touching hers. The woman's hips suddenly pressed against his then rotated in a way that had all three vampires groaning in lust. Smirking, Callen pressed a searing kiss to Aro's lips before twirling out of range and disappearing into the crowd.

They couldn't see her but they could smell her even with all the other bodies in the building. They found her outside, waiting for them. Once she saw Caius she pushed him roughly against the building with the help of her shield. Callen tangled her fingers in his hair and yanked viciously as she kissed him.

"You're mine, understand? All of you." She kissed him again, biting his bottom lip this time. "Nobody is allowed to touch you like this except me!" Another kiss but her legs wrapped around his waist. There was a rush of wind for a few moments then Callen was pressed down into a mattress. They had taken her home to finish their apology.


	31. Chapter 31

It was just after one in the morning when things began noticeably changing. When nights like this one occurred, the Kings would be in only their pants while their Queen was bare. This reduced temptation and kept things from going too far. Callen hadn't pushed the boundary since the first time but she knew her time was coming to an end. There was only one thing she wanted before she was changed and tonight was the night to get it.

Aro was the one kissing her currently while Marcus was nearly buried between her thighs. Caius was taking a break and simply watching. Callen pulled on Marcus's shoulders and he immediately came up to kiss her. Wrapping her legs around his hips to keep him in place, she quickly undid his pants and slipped them halfway off his bum before he stopped her.

"Callen-"

"No Marcus please! I need to be changed within the next few days, we all know it. This is the only thing I want. Please?" Callen looked up through her lashes as she begged. It was an expression Marcus couldn't say no to and everyone knew it. He groaned and dropped his head to her chest before turning to look at his brothers. They silently communicated for a moment and Callen squirmed slightly.

"If we hurt you at any time you have to tell us. Immediately, agreed?" The woman nodded quickly. Marcus started kissing down her body again before suddenly nibbling Callen's hipbone. She gasped in pleasure and her body arched off the bed. Her mind began clouding over in pleasure as her mates continued to bring her to another mind shattering moment.

When she could finally think clearly again, Callen noticed that she wasn't the only one who was completely naked. All three Kings had removed their clothing but were obviously hesitating. They were terrified of hurting her so they would wait for her to make the initial move. Smirking, the woman leapt at her mates and the evening progressed.

A few hours later the sun was just beginning to ride when Caius accidently bit Callen. He had lost control as her body tightened around him and his teeth dug into her left shoulder. She screamed in pain which immediately drew Aro and Marcus's full attention to her. Caius let go as soon as he felt his brother's hands tugging at him. Without a word, Marcus bit the Queen's right shoulder and Aro did the same to the inside of both her elbows. They all wanted their venom to be running through her body and the more venom in her system, the easier the change would be.

Everyone in the room could tell that Caius was horrified at what he had done. He could have easily killed her. Staring at his hands as he mentally berated himself, he felt Callen's hands upon his face. For just a moment the woman's face showed how happy and thankful she was. She was finally going to be able to join them. Then the venom hit her fully and her beautiful face twisted in pain. The next 3 days were going to be hell for all of them. During that time though, Callen was determined to keep as still and silent as possible.

 **A.N. Alright so this is where I'm conflicted. Should I continue on with this story or make a second story with Callen in her Vampire life? I haven't gotten many reviews of people telling me what they think. Mostly people telling me to update which doesn't really give me any will to write. I've sort of lost my steam in this story and if I don't think people like it I'm just gonna stop writing. I have other ideas I can type out but I really wanted to finish this story first. So please? Review and tell me what you're thinking.**


	32. Chapter 32

She was burning from the inside out. This was the worst pain she had ever felt, every experiment included. Thankfully though, she could think through the pain. Her name was Callen Monroe. She was 22 years old. She could create holes in the world and jump to another location entirely. She was being turned into a vampire, that was the reason for her burning. Her mates had given her an amazing night then changed her. Her mates.

Callen spent the first day memorizing her mate's faces. They would no doubt look different once she had opened her eyes again. She looked back on all their memories together. Sometimes the burning would become too much and she would lose track. Her body would thrash and buck until a soothing hand pressed on her. That was her constant reminder, the only force keeping her sane.

The second day was spent quickly as she continued with her memories. Every good human memory was recalled and most of them had been since she came to the castle. She didn't want to forget anything if she could help it. Every moment, every memory, every bit that she could remember would be good.

On the third day, Marcus and Caius began talking to her. This prompted her to focus on something besides the burning. Callen couldn't hear Aro at all and she couldn't open her eyes to look for him. As Caius was talking about the new guard member they were considering, the burning began leeching out of the woman's extremities. It felt amazing until she realized the heat was moving to her heart.

It became more and more unbearable as even more heat moved. Marcus and Caius screamed Aro's name but Callen barely heard it. She couldn't breathe, couldn't focus, couldn't even think. Her mouth opened and a sound of pure pain was released. Callen felt her back arch as if moved by an invisible force while her heart beat wildly. 5 beats later the woman slumped back on the table and the muscle stopped completely, never to beat again.

Callen, Queen of the Volturi, was now immortal. Smiling slightly, the woman opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was her mates. At that moment, she knew that this was going to be a wonderful life.


	33. Chapter 33

Everything was so clear and beautiful. It was like spending your life looking through dirty windows only for the windows to suddenly become clean. Callen took an unnecessary breath as she sat up to better admire her mates. They were all staring at her anxiously, trying to determine if she was alright. Even with that expression, the woman couldn't help but gawk.

"Good glory! I knew you were all attractive and I didn't think immortality could change that but I've been proven wrong. You're all so handsome!" Shocked at the sound of her voice, a clear bell-like sound, the woman put a hand over her mouth. The three men smiled and relaxed a bit now that they knew she was okay.

Callen looked around the room quickly, examining familiar things with new eyes. The next few minutes were spent with the Kings watching their Queen flit about their chambers. Everything suddenly stopped as soon as the woman crossed a mirror. She had never considered herself vain but now all Callen wanted to do was stare at the woman in the reflection.

Someone had been kind enough to dress her while she was being changed. Glossy black hair held gentle curls that fell nearly to her waist and framed her face. Skin that once had a slight tan had become unnaturally pale. The inky black of her hair and the paleness of her skin seemed to enhance the red in her face. Once icy blue, her eyes now shimmered a glorious burgundy color. The woman looking back at her was the definition of flawless and it took a moment for Callen to reconcile the face that she would look like this forever.

"I'm so beautiful. Look at us, we finally match!" turning to her mates, she smiled brightly. "Now we can stand together, a wonderful and unstoppable force!"

The Kings immediately surrounded their mate, caressing her body and admiring her. Then, as one, they led her down the hall toward the chamber used for feedings. Aro explained that he had missed the second and most of the third day of her transformation to ready a surprise for her. He wouldn't tell her and his brothers wouldn't give an answer either. Once they entered the hall, the strong scent of blood reached Callen's nose.

"We have arranged for a few old friends of yours to join us for your first feeding. I hope it doesn't displease you too greatly." Aro's voice was nothing more than a whisper in Callen's brain. Her vision became tunneled and her predatory instincts nearly took over. She was able to restrain herself enough to walk slowly to the door and open it. What she as inside shocked her enough that the bloodlust fled for a moment.

Milling around the room talking amongst themselves, was a collection of humans. However, these weren't just any group of people. Every scientist, guard, surgeon, and assistant that had ever touched her for experiments stood in front of her. They were all dressed expensively, like they had been told a very different story than what was about to happen. Callen heard the door shut behind her; her mates remained outside to guard the door.

At the sound, all the humans looked to the door. Every face showed shock and awe at the woman standing there. To them she looked like a goddess or an angel. Then they began to recognize her. One young man called her name as he stepped toward her. She smiled, snarled loudly, and then pounced.


	34. Chapter 34

Minutes passed and eventually the screams stopped emanating from the chamber. Caius pushed the door open and the three men entered cautiously. Callen stood in the middle of the room, covered in blood and surrounded by bodies. She had one more human to kill but she merely held him by his throat. He had wet himself and was currently begging for his life. The woman looked over her shoulder at her mates, her eyes even brighter than before.

"Gentleman, let me introduce a very special human to you." She tossed him to the ground at her feet. "His name is Henry and his father was Doctor Stein. I met him when I was 15 and we grew up together. Except he was on one side of the glass and I was on the other, usually being experimented on. His father saw that we showed interest in each other and allowed us to spend time in the same room. I thought I was in love."

"The first time I got to go outside the facility since I had been taken, Henry convinced me not to escape. I listened and was eventually allowed out more often." Callen's gaze dropped to the floor as her eyes filled with sadness. "When I managed to escape, I was 18 and I went to Henry. Thinking he loved me like I loved him, I went to his home to convince him to run away with me. He drugged me and took me back to the lab. He watched while they beat me. Said he could never love a freak like me. This rat let them beat me until I almost died. I can't drink his filthy blood and I don't think he deserves a quick death."

"Tell us what you want done to this diseased carcass and I guarantee that it shall be done!" Marcus spoke softly but there was a feral glint to his eyes that Callen had never seen. All three men were glaring at Henry with a hatred stronger than any force in the world. They would tear his skin from his body in strips, boil him to death, break his legs and feed him to the wolves. Anything to get revenge for how this man had wronged their mate.

Callen smiled and hugged her mates, being mindful of her extreme strength. Then she shared her plan quietly while the man stared at her from the floor. Jane would have at his mind for a while, making him feel the worst pain his human brain could fathom. Then one of the guard members would bite him and begin the change. He would then be set aflame immediately after his transformation into immortality. Three different types of extreme pain, ending with the man's death. Then Callen would be satisfied.

Aro called out and a guard member appeared almost immediately. As he gave the vampire his instructions, Caius kissed Callen passionately. Her knack for picking punishments that did the most damage impressed him greatly. The woman was so sweet and caring but her cruelty could rival even his when someone truly upset her.

Marcus walked over to Henry, more of a boy than a man, and pinned him to the floor with his foot. The human had obviously gotten over his shock and was staring past Marcus. He was watching Callen intensely, as if offended that she would kiss someone else. Using his gift, Marcus viewed the boy's emotional ties to others. What he saw made him scoff in disbelief. Aro was suddenly at his side, with his hand out. Silent permission was given as Marcus took his brother's hand.

"Well, how very interesting. Can you show me everyone else in comparison?" Marcus spread his power out to include the Queen and each King. Wanting to know what he was seeing, Callen tugged at Marcus's free hand. "This piece of trash thinks he is in love with you. Apparently, absence does make the heart fonder. His 'love' for you however, is only a pale pink in comparison to ours. We love you with a deep red that would rival even the color of your new eyes.

 **A.N. I AM SO SORRY! I did not mean to stop updating this story! My life has been suuper crazy. I've gone through a break up, bough a new house, traveled home for a few weeks, and to top it all off my computer killed itself. All the things I had typed out for this story? Completely gone! Here is my full apology to all of my readers and the promise that I will be updating more! Thank you all for your support and thank you for staying with me! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	35. Chapter 35

Callen didn't feel the need to watch Henry's first punishment. She knew how he would react; how everyone always reacted to Jane's power. Instead she decided to test her new body. The Kings took her outside the city walls and they all ran as one. Fascinated and enamored with the speed, the woman ran all the way to Germany before her mates asked to return.

They reached the edge of the city when Callen turned to them. Panic covered her face and then Aro realized what was wrong. Their Queen didn't want to break their laws, newborn or not. Nobody was allowed to feed inside the walls of Volterra and there and no way she'd be able to be near that many bodies. They'd have to climb the wall then go through the tunnels to get home.

It took a little longer to get back to the castle this was but it also presented an opportunity for an interesting lesson. Marcus told Callen to close her eyes and tell him what she smelled. The typical things like concrete, water, and mud made the list until she took another deep breath.

"I smell humans but the scent is very faint. Almost nonexistent." Her eyes opened and she looked at her mates. "Am I smelling the human in the city from this far underground? How fascinating!"

There were multiple layers of earth and concrete between the tunnel and the streets of Volterra. With her attention focused and her extreme senses now on high alert, Callen could hear the movements of the people above. This included their heartbeats. It was amazing.

The group had just reentered the castle when Alec approached them. Henry had apparently been asking for Callen, saying he had important information for her. He was being kept in a lower part of the castle where his screams wouldn't disturb anyone. Entering the room, Callen smiled as she watched Henry flinch away from Jane.

"I was told you have information that you think is important. If you're lying, your punishment will get even worse." Despite her voice being ice cold, Henry's face lit up. He crawled across the floor toward her, staying as far away from Jane as possible. Once he got close enough, Callen stopped him by putting her foot on his chest.

"I know something about your parents. I'll tell you if you promise to give me something in return." Henry's voice was weak but sounded like honey as his eyes roamed over her body. It was a voice that used to have so much power over Callen. That was a long time ago, in a different life. The woman's eyes flashed to Jane's quickly and Henry screamed in pain for a few seconds.

"Okay I'm sorry! Please stop!" Another look and Jane glanced away.

"They're still living in America. Some small town in Oregon. We took the guard off their house weeks ago when we realized that you weren't going to return home. Your younger brother is in 9th grade, high school age. Your parents are still married but they haven't gotten over the trauma of losing you. Your mother still mostly blames your father."

Callen frowned then reigned in her expression. She turned, glancing at Aro pleadingly. With a quick touch of the man's skin, Aro verified the information was true. The woman nodded her thanks then stepped toward the door. She was stopped by a hand on her ankle. Henry was begging her to stay, saying how much he loved her. The Kings, enraged by the man daring to touch their Queen, were snarling.

"Jane?" The girl stepped forward quietly. "Continue. When you get bored, send in Felix and Demetri. Let them have some fun."

Almost immediately, Henry began screaming again. Then without a word, without even so much as a glance behind, Callen walked away. She would not see Henry alive again.


	36. Chapter 36

Callen's first year as a vampire passed quickly but mostly quietly. She had decided against finding her human family, not wanting to disrupt their lives. It was a difficult decision but her mates supported her completely. A few months after she was changed, there was an official ceremony. It was the closest thing the Volturi rules had to a wedding.

Following the ceremony was a ball that Aro insisted they have. Marcus admitted that it would be the best way to introduce Callen to their allies. So, they made the preparations and everything went smoothly. Every vampire she met seemed to be enchanted with Callen and they all wished the best for her.

The newborns in Seattle had been destroyed by the Cullens. Jane reported that none of the Cullens had died or even received any injuries. Caius seemed suspicious of their good fortune but Callen breathed a sigh of relief. Alice and Isabella held a soft space in her heart.

With the help of her mates and the entire guard, Callen quickly learned to control her bloodlust. After only 8 months into vampirism, she could stand in a room full of humans and be completely normal. Her mates were so proud of her, especially Caius. Only his brothers knew that he had struggled much longer than they had at controlling his thirst.

It was nearing the end of June, over a year since her change, when Callen heard from Alice Cullen again. An envelope had been delivered to the castle and it was addressed specifically to the Kings and the Queen. A human secretary brought it to her then skittered away fearfully. Caius didn't like her and she didn't offer anything to the Volturi so the poor thing probably wouldn't last much longer.

Sighing, the vampire sat in her throne. The room had been remodeled so that all 4 royals were sitting in a line. It was probably more intimidating but Callen liked it. Nobody else was with her since her Kings had other business to attend to. This was for the best since the woman reacted very strongly to the contents of the envelope.

Inside, on a thick beautiful paper, was an invitation. Edward and Isabella had decided to get married before her turning. After reading the entire invitation Callen jumped to her feet and danced happily around the room. Drawn by the noise, Caius witnessed the end of her joyful dancing.

"Excited about something my dear?" She giggled and danced across the room toward him as he sat in a stray chair. Even after watching her for a year, the Kings were still fascinated with her movements. Callen, oblivious to her mate's musings, flowed into his lap and handed him the envelope.

"Isabella is getting married and we've been invited! Isn't that just wonderful?! I'm sure everything is going to be amazing!" Caius read the invitation aloud then frowned slightly. A situation like this would need to be discussed between all of them. He sent a guard from outside to fetch his brothers then turned his attention on Callen. She happily received his affections while they waited. By the time Marcus and Aro had made their way to the throne room, the woman was a giggling mess.

The Kings were updated and the conversation began. Aro seemed to think it was a trick. A way to make them think the girl would be changed without them going to investigate. Caius thought the Cullens might try to attack them when they arrived. Callen disagreed, saying Alice wouldn't do that to her. Marcus cleared his throat and they all looked to him.

"If we all go together, I do not doubt that someone would try to take advantage of our absence. Whether it be the Cullen coven or someone like the Romanians, we cannot all go. However, Callen is more than able to protect herself and that coven seems to prefer her anyway. I think she should go on her own." There was an ensuing argument but they all eventually agreed to it.

There were still nearly 2 months until the wedding which gave the royals plenty of time. Callen perfected her self-control even more and worked on her gifts. Her jumps never affected her no matter how quickly she jumped or how far away she went. Since she had been changed the woman realized that along with being able to keep it standing for hours at a time, her shield had different layers. She could see and feel them in her mind then separate them into mental and physical parts. The mental shield only stopped gifts like Jane's while the physical only stopped people like Felix. Each having their own faults that were cancelled out when pushed together again.

This discovery could come in extremely handy if the Volturi encountered someone with a powerful offensive gift. For practice Jane and Alec attempted to get past her mental shield while Felix and Demetri battered her physical shield. Nothing had been able to damage the shields at all, even when Callen was covering the entire guard. Her mates were fascinated with her gifts and constantly praising her for it. There was no worry that anyone would be able to hurt her.


	37. Chapter 37

The time came for Callen to head to America for the Cullen wedding. She had decided against jumping to her destination, preferring to take their private jet to have a few days to do some sightseeing. All three of her mates waved her off at the airport, looking mournful as they watched the private jet leave. The woman knew they were just pouting, as they had more than enough time last night for their goodbyes.

The flight went quickly enough and Callen stepped onto the Seattle runway. A speedy trip to luggage claim and toward the doors. She stopped by a sign that had her name written on it. A man in a very nice suit was holding it and fidgeting.

"Excuse me, that's my name!" Callen tried to make her voice soothing so as not to startle the human. He jumped anyway.

"Oh, of course! If you'll follow me Mrs. Volturi, a car has been arranged for your use." He knew who she was, how much influence she had, and that's what made him so nervous. This was a Queen and if he displeased her, his head would be on a chopping block.

She followed the man silently through the airport and out to a parking garage. They took an elevator to a lower floor. It was cool, quiet, and filled with expensive vehicles of all different makes and models. This was obviously where the wealthier travelers kept their cars. The man led her down a few rows then pointed out her options. She could take one of the two larger vehicles and let someone drive her around. However, the small black sports car in the next space was begging her to take it for a spin.

Callen put her bags into the small trunk, took the keys from the human, tipped him generously, then sank down into the soft leather seat. The sound of the engine made her smile and she revved it gently a few times.

A few months after her change, the Queen had insisted on learning how to drive for herself. She had then fallen in love with everything to do with motor vehicles. Even the guard got pulled into helping her learn how to maintain the coven's multiple automobiles.

The car, a gorgeous black Ferrari 488gtb, rolled smoothly out of its space without a problem. Within minutes, Callen was speeding through Seattle traffic. The slight rain didn't bother her and even made the ride a bit more exciting. Her flight had landed early in the afternoon, giving her plenty of time to do whatever she wanted. A sign above the roadway alerted her to a branch off exit or another highway.

Callen thought about it for a split second then took the exit with ease. Reaching over, she turned the GPS on and entered an address. The car didn't waver a bit on the road. According to the machine, it was going to take at least 6 hours to arrive. Laughing, the woman pushed the accelerator down farther and watched the car's speedometer creep higher.

At this speed she could get where she was going by 4:45 p.m., only three hours from now. Turning on the radio made the hours pass quickly as she bobbed her head to the music. As if trying to send a good omen, the rain began clearing up. The state sign blurred past too quickly for any human to see but her eyes saw it perfectly. 'Welcome to Oregon' was displayed proudly and seemed to imprint itself on her brain.


	38. Chapter 38

Callen sat inside her car, staring at the house she had parked across the street from. It was large and beautiful but Callen liked her castle better. Nobody was home but she still sat there in front of it. Her mother and father lived in that house, along with her younger brother. A family from a life she had been ripped away from.

Sighing, the vampire twirled her ring around her finger a few times then laid it in the car's cup holder. Her mates had given it to her during the ceremony, it was basically a wedding ring. However, it could only being about difficult questions and she wasn't here for that. A few minutes later, a nice SUV pulled into the driveway. It idled for a moment, shut off, and people began getting out. Her father, his dark hair showing some grey, unfolded himself from the driver's seat. His height, 6 feet and 7 inches if she remembered correctly, made him rather intimidating. Her brother emerged from the back seat looking like a nearly exact copy of their father.

Finally, her mother came around the car. Beautiful, regal, glorious, angelic, any word failed to accurately describe the woman. Before her change, Callen would have looked exactly like her mother. Even their brilliant eye color had been the same. Now the younger woman watched through her blood red eyes as the family began pulling grocery bags out of the rear of the vehicle.

The men grabbed most of the things and went inside the house first. With only a couple bags left, her mother called out that she would get them. Within seconds Callen had popped in some brown contacts, gotten out of the car, and crossed the street. Now she stood a few feet away frozen with indecision. Would it hurt this family if she were to suddenly appear back into their lives? Was it worth the risk?

"Excuse me? Are you Daphne Monroe?" The words were out of her mouth before she could really weigh her decision. Callen sounded timid even to her own ears but she could hardly remember to even breathe. Turning around at the sound of the voice, the human woman smiled politely for a moment. Then she really looked at the person in front of her. Her eyes opened wide in recognition and the bags in her hands dropped to the ground. A carton of eggs smashed and some sort of glass bottle shattered.

"Callen?" Her mother's voice was an unsure whisper, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Callen nodded slowly and that was enough to send her mother stumbling toward her. The women embraced each other and neither was in a hurry to let go. The older woman was sobbing in joy and though hers were dry, Callen began sobbing as well. She was the exact same height as her mother, it was perfect.

A few moments passed before either of them let go. They stared at each other silently, memorizing every feature they could. Without saying a word, her mother shut the trunk, took Callen's hand, and pulled her towards the house. It was time for a family reunion and nobody knew how it would turn out.

"Chandler? Can you come here please?" Callen heard her father stand up and begin walking in their direction. His heartbeat was slow, he obviously wasn't expecting anything like what was about to happen. While they waited, she used her enhanced sensed to explore the house. The furnishings and decorations were high end but barely used. A few candles were lit, different types of floral scents. The only heartbeats in the home were human so they didn't seem to have any pets. Only a minute after her mother's call, the large man came around the corner and into the room.

"She's come home Chandler! Just like I always said she would! Our baby has come back!" Callen turned to fully face her father, standing completely still as they stared at each other. She watched as his face became pale, his heartbeat quickened, and neither of them said a word. As the minutes passed, Callen became more and more agitated.

"What's the problem father? Can't stand to look at the daughter that you basically sold? It's a lovely house you've got here, nice car in the driveway. I'm happy that I could help you get them." As soon as she finished speaking, the man came undone. He fell to his knees and tears began running down his face.

"What you have had me do? They knew about you, where we lived, everything about us. You were going to be taken from us either way. That doctor threatened to kill you mother and brother if I didn't take the offer. I know it sounds terrible but I chose the good of the whole family. I never would have let them take you otherwise."

Seeing the raw emotion and sensing his pain, Callen knew he was telling the truth. She hadn't known that the people that took her had threatened her family as well. That changed things quite a lot. Callen sighed then turned to face her mother again.

"I'd like to take you all to dinner if that's alright? We obviously have some catching up to do." Daphne and her husband quickly agreed, thankful that their daughter was giving them a change to be in her life. Her brother Daniel came downstairs and was reintroduced to his sister whom he unfortunately barely remembered. After the moment of awkwardness passed, the family went upstairs to get ready. Callen remained in the living room. As she looked around even more, the woman pulled out her phone and dialed Aro's number. He answered by the second ring and greeted her happily.

"Hello darling. I need the name of a restaurant in northwestern Oregon that you would recommend. Preferably something fancy but I don't have time for a reservation." She could almost hear him smiling through the phone. Callen guessed that they had probably known that she would end up going to see her family. Her mates knew her too well.

After a moment of thought, Aro gave her the name and address of a place that sounded good. Though he couldn't eat human foods, he still got the different flavors and experiences through people's thoughts. It often came in handy when hosting humans that they had business dealings with. Callen was especially grateful for it now. Her family came downstairs and she gave them the address of the restaurant before walking over to her car. If nothing else, this dinner was going to be interesting.

 **A.N. I don't even know how to apologize to all my readers. My life has been extremely crazy and I don't know why but I lost all motivation to write anything! I'm going to try to keep updating but I don't want to make any promises! Please be patient with me! Your continued support is so super helpful! I love you all! Thank you**


	39. Chapter 39

They all met at the restaurant and the humans looked in awe at the building. It was a glorious structure that screamed high prices and luxury service. The four of them entered and her mother fretted to her husband about the expense. Callen assured them that they wouldn't have to pay. As soon as the door closed behind them, the maître d welcomed them. His red eyes and effortless grace instantly gave him away as a vampire, something the woman thought interesting.

"Ms. Volturi?" Callen nodded, keeping her expression blank to hide her surprise. "We have a table ready for you. Master Aro called ahead to let us know of your arrival."

Once she motioned for him to continue, they were lead to the back of the restaurant. It was private enough without feeling empty. Callen tried to ignore her father's stare but didn't know how long she would be successful. Menus were distributed and drinks served. Wine options for the adults and nonalcoholic for her brother. Noting the thick consistency of her drink, the woman took a cautious sip. Blood, warm and delicious, filled her mouth. Her thoughts were interrupted by a slight gasp from a member of the restaurant staff. Without turning her head, Callen listened to the conversation between the two staff members. A woman recognized her as Queen of the Volturi. Her coworker was hastily trying to convince her that saying hello was unprofessional and possibly dangerous. After a few moments, the vampire who seated the family hushed the two whisperers, effectively ending the conversation.

Callen chewed on her lip gently, thinking over the conversation. She wasn't sure that she wanted her family dragged into her immortal existence. Royalty or not, if Callen broke the law her human family would be killed.

"So Callen, what are you doing these days? How did you get away from those horrible men?" Her mother's voice broke into her thoughts, prompting her attention to the table again. Callen smiled and shrugged before answering.

"Well I was there for quite a bit then once I was out I kept running. Eventually I ended up being in the right place at the right time. Now I'm safe and happy. One of my friends is getting married in 2 days and I wanted to stop and see you guys. I had to know how your lives had turned out." Her father's hand grabbed hers gently. He tensed at the obvious temperature difference but surprisingly held on nonetheless.

"The fact that they didn't ruin you and your gift makes this all the better. We are so happy to see you again; words can't even describe it. Knowing that you're happy and being taken care of? That's fantastic." Tears pooled in the man's eyes and Callen swallowed past the lump in her throat. Her family was wonderful and loving but there were so many secrets she had to hide from them.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, the Queen of the Volturi allowed herself to enjoy the moment. The atmosphere was relaxed, the conversation light hearted, and the farewells sincere. Her parents knew that they might not see her again for a while but she would visit when she could. As she got back into the borrowed vehicle, Callen realized that the day had gone much better than she had expected.


	40. Chapter 40

A few days later, Callen had passed through most of Washington and was just getting ready to drive into the small town of Forks. She had taken her time and done a lot of sightseeing before coming here. An unlucky human in the outskirts of Portland had been her meal. That meant that she wouldn't need to feed again until after the wedding day was over.

To her, Forks was a town that was entirely too small and too green. The only convenience it seemed to offer was the weather. Cloudy and slightly chilled, it offered the perfect environment for a vampire trying to hide in a human's world. Personally, Callen had never cared for that type of life. She much preferred staying with her own kind in her castle where she was free to walk about and do as she liked.

Following the directions on her navigation system, Callen quickly found the Cullen property. The white twinkle lights were a lovely touch and the long front yard would provide plenty of room for parking. The wedding wasn't until a few hours but there was some catching up to do so the woman wasn't surprised to see no other cars. She parked and stepped out, throwing up her mental shield while grabbing a box from the passenger seat.

"I'm sorry but the wedding isn't for a few more hours. We're not ready to receive guests." The voice belonged to a vampire with honey blonde hair and a southern accent. As soon as Callen turned and he could see her red eyes, he immediately went on the offensive.

"Ma'am I'm sorry but I think you've come to the wrong house. We don't know you and I don't think you were invited." His stance changed and Callen had a feeling he was going to pounce soon.

"Jasper, stop!" Carlisle Cullen, who she knew only because of paintings, came jogging down the stairs. Callen raised her eyes at how easily he slowed down his movements and pretended to be human. He bowed slightly when he finally reached the pair. "My Queen, what an honor for you to join us. I apologize for my son's rash words, he wasn't aware you were coming."

Once he realized who she was, Jasper looked slightly horrified. He opened his mouth to apologize but the Queen waved it away. She didn't care about her title here and the disrespect was unintentional.

"Never mind that, I'm not here today as a Queen. I'm here as a friend. Formal introductions have been missed I believe. My name is Callen. I'm sorry for arriving so early but I have a special gift for the bride. Could you show me where she is?"

The doctor led the way, pointing out different areas of the house. Callen couldn't help the smile that crossed her face when she saw the multitude of graduation caps on the wall. He explained that the rest of his family was outside in the backyard. Finishing touches had to be made and final checks to make sure everything was as it should be.

Carlisle pointed up the stairs and allowed the woman to continue her own. Heading up at a human's pace, the woman could hear Alice chattering away. The smell of makeup and hair products reached her sensitive nose just before she turned into the room and stood in the doorway. Isabella was sitting down with her eyes closed, wrapped in a luxurious robe. Alice was working on her makeup while a gorgeous blonde, presumably Rosalie, pinned her hair.

"Callen!" Alice's squeal of joy cause Bella to jump slightly before opening her eyes. The tiny vampire threw herself at Callen for a hug. Hugging tightly enough that they'd probably bend steel, the two women enjoying the reunion. Pulling apart, Callen walked over and hugged the fragile human much more gently.

After a moment, Callen and Rosalie looked at each other. They quickly judged each other's outfits, looks, and general appearances. During this process Alice and Bella seemed to hold their breath, unsure what the outcome of this interaction would be. Suddenly Callen smiled and held her hand out.

"Hello my name's Callen. You must be Rosalie." The statuesque blonde thawed, shaking her hand. This woman was dressed impeccably and she was exceptionally beautiful. Rosalie knew that she should be jealous but she couldn't find it in herself. It was almost a relief; she finally had something to aspire to be.


	41. Chapter 41

The tense moment between Rosalie and Callen had gone, leaving only companionship in its place. Now the two Cullen vampires had returned to their work while Callen chatted with Bella. It had been a year since they had seen each other and they had both been human at that time. Suddenly Isabella asked the obvious question of what the change felt like

"Well to be honest it was the worst pain I've ever felt, experiments included. I just did my best to focus on myself. Who I knew I was, where I was, why I was doing it. Remembering my mate's faces really helped as well. I don't know what to tell you Bella. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

The human wrinkled her nose a bit, earning a scolding from Alice. The subject was quickly changed and the hours passed easily. Bella's makeup and hair were finished then they slipped her into her wedding gown. It was absolutely gorgeous and the Queen said as much which prompted questions about her own wedding. It had been extremely different, she hadn't even worn a white dress, but it was perfect for her. She showed them her ring and let them fawn over it a while. The setting was a large diamond surrounded by a ruby, an emerald, and a sapphire.

Her mates had picked it out together and each stone represented each King. Caius's reputation for anger and bloodlust, paired with his intense love for his Queen, prompted him to choose ruby. Aro's gift, causing his thoughts and knowledge to continually grow like so many green things, had him choosing emerald. With his wisdom constantly being called upon, like an ocean of prosperity and life, Marcus had easily chosen sapphire. After admiring the ring for another moment, Alice announced that they needed to finish getting Bella ready. Everything went fine until the tiny vampire grabbed a pair of shoes and the bride groaned in dislike.

"Alice those look terribly uncomfortable. I actually brought something, do you mind if we try?" After getting hesitant permission, Callen pulled open the box she brought. Inside were a lovely pair of white heels. They looked to be made of lace but were accentuated with lovely rhinestones. Isabella slipped them on then sighed softly, asking why they felt so nice.

"They were the shoes I wore for my ceremony. I hoped we were the same size. These were worn for a good couple hours and broken in, which is why they shouldn't hurt your feet." The bride hugged her while thanking her profusely. Apparently, the shoes Alice had chosen weren't at all comfortable even after weeks of wearing them. Callen's feet, hard as diamonds, had easily shaped any shoes she wore. Now Bella would hopefully still be able to walk by the end of the night.

Once affirming that the shoes would work, Callen made her way downstairs. A handful of guests had arrived including Bella's mother who introduced herself when they passed on the stairs. Seating herself on the bride's side of the room, after slipping some brown contacts in, the Queen did her best to avoid conversation. She could meet the rest of the Cullen family at the reception.

Edward and the pastor walked up the aisle a few minutes later. He looked surprised to see her but smiled and nodded nonetheless. More guests arrived, mostly humans, and every seat was soon filled. Rosalie floated down the stairs and to the piano. She played beautifully and the guests turned to the stairway excitedly. Moments later, Alice came down the stairs. The only bridesmaid, she looked like a glorious pixie gracing them with her presence.

She was followed by Bella and her father. If Alice looked glorious, Isabella Swan was ethereal. Her dress fit and flattered perfectly, her makeup was spectacular, and she beamed with a happiness that seemed to shine on the whole room. The father and daughter soon reached the altar. Charlie gave his daughter away, obviously torn between emotions.

The ceremony began and everything went smoothly. The couple said their vows, shared a kiss, then walked down the aisle. Guests trickled out to the backyard just as the sun was going down. None of the vampires sparkled, proof of Alice's flawless planning. As Callen stepped outside, she noticed Carlisle talking to what she assumed was the rest of his family. They all looked over as she walked out and she knew it was time to meet.


	42. Chapter 42

The first to be introduced to her was Carlisle's mate, Esme. She was pretty and had a motherly aura about her. The two shook hands daintily before introductions continued. Emmett, in all his height and bulk, towered over Callen. He could have been intimidating but the sweet smile on his face ruined it. Relaxing a bit, Callen stayed and talked to the group for a few minutes.

"Well here I thought that we were the only others to be invited. Glad to be wrong!" A woman's voice came from behind Callen. Carlisle stepped forward to make more introductions.

"Callen this is the coven in Denali that we think of as cousins. Kate, Tanya, Eleazar, and Carmen. Irina, their sister, wasn't able to attend. Everyone, this is Callen." They all shook hands quickly. The woman was immensely grateful that Carlisle hadn't used her official title. She didn't want that kind of attention today. Eleazar shook her hand, his expression curious. He asked how she knew the Cullen family.

"I'm a friend of Alice. Bella and Edward were kind enough to invite me." She didn't like the way he was looking at her, it almost made her skin crawl. It was too personal, too much like an examination. Despite her discomfort the Queen held her eye contact until the other vampire looked away. All the vampires around her began to shift uncomfortably.

Callen had shifted her weight and stance just enough to change her body language. Her form now spoke of control, dominance, and confidence. Every vampire who looked at her was now battling instinct. Submitting or attacking were the only viable options. Carlisle nudged her discreetly and gave her a pointed look. The woman immediately relaxed her body again to be less threatening. Another moment of tense silence passed before the group moved to their assigned tables.

The woman mentally scolded herself for the mistake. Suspicion was radiating off Eleazar as he tried to figure out who she was. Callen was seated with a group of humans who immediately began making small talk. The reception went quickly and Callen assumed the food was delicious because the humans at her table ate extremely quickly. Dancing began soon after and the Queen watched happily.

Excusing herself from the table, the woman made her way to the bathroom to get a new set of contacts. There was a short line but soon enough there were new brown contacts in her eyes. She even washed her hands to keep her human façade at its best. The sound of yelling reached her ears and she left the bathroom to investigate.

"So we're at the same table but I never caught your name. How do you know the Cullens?" A young human stepped in her way and blocked her from going outside. Sensing that she couldn't easily blow him off, Callen turned her attention to the boy. He was wearing a nice suit and had a nice enough face, for a human. His hair was styled similarly to Edward's but he barely looked old enough to be out of high school. She would investigate the source of shouting later; in the meantime Callen wanted to have a bit of fun.

"Sorry, my name is Callen. I'm cousins with Alice. So I've met the Cullens a few times before. Your name is Mike, right?" The boy nodded, a glazed look on his face. He obviously didn't think Callen would have stopped to talk to him. Stammering out his affirmation, Mike then asked why he hadn't seen her before.

"Oh, I live in Italy. I don't often travel to the States but felt I had to make an exception for Isabella's wedding." As she talked, she noticed Mike kept looking her body over. They continued to make small talk while she waited for him to decide if he was going to make a move. Finally he stepped towards the beautiful woman, his body language entirely predatory. Callen allowed herself to be backed into a corner away from where someone might see them.

"You're awfully pretty, it seems impossible for you to be here alone." As he talked he moved closer to her until he was speaking in her ear. Callen's eyes rolled back slightly as she caught the scent of his blood so close to her. Her mouth opened and just as she leaned forward to tear into his jugular, her cell phone rang loudly.


	43. Chapter 43

Callen tore herself away from the boy before reaching into her small hand bag and grabbing the small phone inside. Aro's number flashed on the screen, causing the woman to gasp in relief. She answered quickly while attempting to move away from Mike

"My darling, Tesoro, luce della mia vita!" Aro's voice carried through the receiver; his words alerted her to face that he missed her terribly. "How are you? How was the wedding? Are you still at the reception?"

Callen spoke quickly and in Italian. She told him everything that had happened and about how she was struggling to not eat a guest. As she tried to move even further away from the human, his arm moved to block her way.

"Hey, where are you going? Who could be so important that you want to leave? You have a boyfriend or something?" His voice and words caused Aro to snarl jealously and Callen nearly repeated the sound.

"It is my husband and I wish to speak to him privately. Now move your arm out of my way before I tear it off." The boy moved as if he'd been burned then scurried off to rejoin the party. Callen sighed before walking upstairs and talking to Aro.

He had called to update her on anything she had missed in Italy. All three men missed her terribly and Aro professed as much before asking when she was going to come home.

"Well because I love driving that car, I'm going to return it to the airport as soon as I leave the wedding. Then I'll just jump to the castle. I have no interest in traveling home like a human. I did my sightseeing and I miss you three too much to stay away much longer. I should be back in around 12 hours."

The man's reaction was so exhilarated that Callen swore she could feel it through the phone. His tone indicated it even more and the woman let the sound weigh over her as he told her how happy Caius and Marcus would be to hear the news. A pang in her chest made her sigh gently. The woman knew that mating bonds could be so powerful that it became physically painful for mates to be away from each other too long.

After another moment on the phone, the two said their goodbyes. Tucking the device into her handbag, the vampire walked downstairs and outside to rejoin the party. Mike was dancing with the young woman he had come with and it didn't look like he was going to bother Callen for the rest of the evening.


	44. Chapter 44

Jasper caught her attention next as he asked her to dance. She accepted and the two twirled around the floor gracefully. He apologized again for their first encounter then began making small talk. Having learned a few tricks from her mates, Callen managed to insert a couple harmless questions meant to steer the conversation. Before long she knew about his life, his gift, how he met Alice, and more about the Denali clan.

He told her about the mother that had created an immortal child and how her death had instilled a strong respect for the law in the three sisters. Callen had just began hearing about Carmen when the two realized they had been dancing for a while. Alice stole her husband with a wink in her friend's direction. Emmett asked for a dance and the Queen began questioning the hulking man like she had his coven mate.

Excusing herself after a few songs, the woman went back to her table to process all the new information she had. A few people came to talk to her, the bride and groom included. Callen told Bella how beautiful she looked which made the human blush brightly. Edward joked that he couldn't tell if she was sincere because her shield was still up. The woman only smiled knowingly and gave a quick wink.

Soon after it was time for the guests to bid the young, in Bella's case, couple farewell for their honeymoon. Alice had told Callen where they were going and the Queen thought it would be perfect. As she cheered and tossed rice in their general direction, the woman could feel eyes on her. Without bothering to look her best guess was Eleazar. He had been staring at her on and off all night with a puzzled expression on his face.

Callen mentally shrugged the uncomfortable feeling away, trying to focus on the newlyweds. She would do her best to avoid the man but she wasn't going to run away either. Once the vehicle, of course driven by Edward, pulled away the guests began dispersing while chatting with one another. Alice locked her in a conversation about the newest fashion lines and Callen happily participated. Just as the Queen was extending an offer for a ticket to the newest Armani runway show, the two were interrupted.

"Alice darling, come show us where you want to put all the gifts!" Esme's sweet voice called out and the tiny vampire excused herself. The other woman, sensing this was a good time to begin her farewells, walked into the house.

"So Callen, friend of Alice, where are you from?" The masculine voice came from her right as she entered the home. Eleazar had been waiting for her. When the woman didn't immediately give an answer, the man changed tactics.

"Perhaps nobody told you but I can sense when a vampire has a gift and what it is. It also works with humans to some extent but that's not the point." Callen interrupted to ask him what his point was. He flitted directly in front of her, almost too close. The woman didn't even flinch. "My point is that something about you is different. I try to sense a gift but I can only get the barest hint before it disappears entirely. I'm always curious about different gifts but I've never experienced anything like this."  
"Emmett says you used to be part of the Volturi guard. Was it a difficult decision to leave? I imagine not since you had Carmen to give you strength. So, I wonder if you now share your 'cousin's' view on the Italian cover?" Callen kept her tone polite and innocent. Eleazar took the bait easily, like she had hoped.

"I have never regretted my decision if that's what you're suggesting. My Carmen is the light of my life; a life that is full of joy and peace. My respect for the Volturi had not lessened but perhaps it has been renewed since the finding of their Queen." At her questioning look, Eleazar explained.

"Nearly 2 years ago, a human woman came to the Volturi castle. The story isn't clear but it was quickly discovered that the woman was the true mate of all 3 Kings. She fell in love with them as well and since then they've changed. Their judgments have been less cruel and they've been more forgiving." Callen couldn't help but smile at the man's words. This conversation was drastically different than what she had expected.


	45. Chapter 45

"What else are people saying about this human?" Callen kept the topic of conversation going, hoping to gain insight as to how some of the vampire world really viewed her.

"Oh well she hasn't been human for over a year now. She was changed not long after coming to the castle. I have never personally met her and I can't for the life of me remember ever hearing her name. Regardless, I've been told that she is a sight to behold physically. The Queen is also apparently much kinder than her mates. Edward told me how he argued with her during his stay in Italy. Rather than killing him, she simply ordered a guard to watch him during the rest of his visit."

"From all that I've heard, she is a fair ruler and kind to all until the time comes for her not to be. The Kings have yet to openly oppose any of her rulings; whether that's because they love her or because the sentence is fair I'm not sure." Eleazar paused and smiled slightly as the thought of the Volturi leaders bending to their mate's will.

The man then looked back at the woman in front of him before they continued talking about different subjects. Always looking for new and interesting information, Callen asked Eleazar question after question. Carlisle had just reentered the house after saying goodbye to the last human guests when Eleazar asked who Callen's creator was. When she hesitated, the doctor intervened.

"Who created her isn't important. She is a good friend of our family." When the other man became immediately suspicious, Carlisle sighed internally. His family's relationship with the Queen was their one reliable road to being cordial with the Volturi. At that moment, the rest of the Denali coven entered the room. They too wanted a better explanation as to who this woman was. Looking at the beautiful woman next to him, Carlisle silently asked permission which was reluctantly given.

"Cousins, may I present Callen Volturi. True mate of the Volturi leaders."

Eleazar stepped in front of his mate slightly while Tanya and Kate gaped in surprise. They had all had guesses about who the woman could have been but none of them had come close. Standing not even ten feet away from them was a woman who could have them killed with a wave of a finger. She was in control of the largest and strongest coven in the entire world. Though nobody who met her truly disliked her, there was always a small amount of fear behind the name of the Queen. Snapping out of her thoughts, Tanya stepped forward with her hand outstretched.

"It's wonderful to meet you! The stories of your beauty weren't exaggerated! How good of you to come celebrate with our family!" The woman shook Callen's hand vigorously before giving a slight curtsey. Callen smiled gently and nodded her head before moving her gaze to the other blonde. The Queen noticed the vampire looked slightly agitated as she stepped forward.

The second Kate touched the Queen's hand, she viciously unleashed her gift. She had never been able to make the Volturi pay for killing her creator but this seemed like the perfect opportunity. A plan quickly formed in her mind to use this woman against the Italian coven. To everyone's surprise, the crackling light that accompanied her gift traveled over the Queen's body. The woman stood calmly, unaffected by the pain.

An invisible force slammed into Kate, pinning her against the wall behind her. Callen walked forward slowly, her face set in stone. It was a dangerous look on her because it meant she was locking her emotions away. That was when killing became an option.

"I shall answer Eleazar's question first. I have a shield that surrounds my mind and body which I can manipulate as I see fit. That is probably why he can't sense my gifts."

"You have more than one?" Eleazar spoke softly, not wanting to set the Queen off and get his coven mate hurt. The Queen smiled slyly.

"We all have our secrets." Her attention turned back to Kate. "I will do my best to talk them out of killing you but don't expect to be treated kindly when dealing with my Kings. You tried to attack me, they don't take kindly to that. They will not appreciate your petty method of attempting revenge. I will not be able to hide this from them and for your sake, I hope I'll be able to find the words to calm them."


	46. Chapter 46

Nobody in the room moved as the Queen turned and walked out. They all heard her car start then speed down the driveway. Rosalie appeared, looking around the room.

"What happened? Why did Callen leave so quickly? I didn't even get to say goodbye. Was there an emergency?" Carlisle quickly explained what Kate had done. Rosalie glared at the woman before turning and storming off the same way she had come. A loud crash made them flinch then Carlisle sighed. They had seemingly ruined their chances of a peaceful relationship with the Volturi.

Meanwhile Callen sped through the town and was quickly moving toward Seattle. The needle on her speedometer was as far right as possible, the scenery a complete blur to a human eye. Driving the car was the perfect way to help her calm down enough by the time she got back to the airport. She returned the car, generously tipping the valet, before walking into the airport. She headed into a family restroom but didn't lock the door. The brown contacts she had put in to return the vehicle came out and were flushed down the toilet. Finally, Callen opened a portal against the wall before she stepped through.

On the other side, Callen stepped into the main lobby of the castle. The secretary jumped in surprise, spilling the container of pens on her desk. The Queen apologized quickly before walking at human speed. She had never been away from her mates for this long and she wasn't excited about the overprotectiveness they were going to show. The Kings would feel the need to reassert their status as her mates. This typically meant days locked away in their room and snapping at any other male for weeks.

Callen had noticed this before when she had only been gone a day or two. She didn't even want to imagine what this time would bring. She had been apart from them for a week and couldn't deny that she missed them too. Deciding to really surprise them, the woman opened another portal. This one opened directly to the throne room. Stepping through, the woman smiled as every eye in the room turned to her.

"Callen! My love you have returned!" Aro spoke excitedly as he and his brothers descended on their mate. The guard was dismissed and the room was quickly empty. The Kings began their worship of Callen's body with kisses and gentle caresses. Soon their hands began to tug items of clothing off her body. Sounds of pleasure from both the Queen and her Kings echoed down the halls as they took her body right there in the throne room.

After a few hours the royals moved to their bed chamber to continue their activities. Like she expected, none of them left their room for the next four days. When they finally did leave, the Kings were extremely clingy when they were with her. Though it annoyed her sometimes, for the most part Callen enjoyed the attention. It also helped that she knew this wouldn't go on for too much longer.


	47. Chapter 47

Once the Kings got over their protective instincts, things in Volterra returned to a slower pace. All three men were still rather busy due to the work that had been put aside when Callen had returned. This left Callen with a lot of free time that she found herself filling in different ways.

She chose to spend some of her extra time with Jane and Alec. After noticing that the twins usually wore the same few outfits, the Queen has asked Jane about it. When the girl told Callen that those were the only clothes they had the woman thought she might scream. Since then the days had found the three taking advantage of cloudy days by trailing through the many shops in Volterra, much to Alec's displeasure.

"Why do we need more clothes? It's not like they get dirty and nobody sees us anyway." Alec complained loudly as they entered another shop. He had been especially vocal today for some reason. His sister however, had been more than happy to spend time with Callen. She hissed angrily at her brother and the Queen intervened before they started fighting.

"We are buying more clothes because variety is the spice of life my dear Alec." The woman stopped and turned so suddenly that the boy nearly ran into her. "If you would rather be doing something else though, be my guest. Jane and I will be back to the castle when we're done."

Alec paused for a moment before he nodded and turned around. He was gone a second later. Jane sighed delicately before following her Queen once more. The girl actually really enjoyed shopping with Callen. She viewed the woman almost like a mother figure. This was the first woman that had gotten to know Jane because of who she was, not what she could do.

"How was your trip my Queen?"

"Jane I've told you a hundred times, please just call me Callen. My trip was wonderful, thank you. The Cullen's were very gracious hosts. Isabella's wedding was beautiful." Callen continued looking through clothes while she talked. Jane did a very good job of keeping the sales clerks from bothering them. Even without her gifts, the girl's glare could drive off the most hardened person.

"What did you learn from them?" Jane held a dress up to her body as she asked. The other vampire shook her head before handing her a different option. It would fit her silhouette much better.

"Learn from them? Nothing. I was only there as a friend."

"You haven't let Master Aro into your mind since you returned." The Queen's head snapped up to look at the younger girl. The guilty look on her face told Callen that this was the real motive behind the conversation. Jane hurried to explain herself.

"I overheard the Masters talking about it. They're worried about you leaving them. They think that the Cullens might have found a way to tempt you to their side. I don't think they know that I heard. I'm sorry, I just want you to be happy here with us."

Callen wrapped her arms around Jane and laid her head on top of the shorter girl. Jane was only trying to help the people who had saved her. There was no way to be made at her, to blame her for doing what she hoped was right. The Queen realized that this was something she needed to speak to her mates about.


	48. Chapter 48

The two women finished their shopping and returned to the castle. Jane took her bags to her chambers while another member of the guard took Callen's for her. The Queen jumped directly to the throne room, surprising her mates. Before they could say anything, she had thrown herself into Aro's arms and kissed him. Her mental shield was pulled back which allowed him to see everything he had missed.

"I'm so sorry my loves. I would never intentionally keep anything from you. I did not know that my thoughts on the Cullen wedding were so important to you. You should have said something to me. There is nothing anyone could ever offer that would tempt me away from you. Never in a thousand lifetimes."

The Masters descended on their mate and they all reaffirmed their affection. Then, making their way to the nearby table Callen told them of her vacation. From meeting her family again down to the last detail of the wedding decorations, the mate of the Volturi leaders sat and simply talked with them. They chatted for hours about everything and the often-somber throne room was filled with laughter.

Sometime later, the main doors were pushed open and Irina Denali walked in. Though she was escorted by guard members, the woman took a moment to examine the Masters. They all had a new glow that she couldn't remember seeing in them before. As she moved farther into the room, Irina saw why.

Hidden slightly behind Aro's body, sitting cross legged on the stone table, was the most beautiful woman the vampire had seen in her entire existence. With her high cheekbones and dark tresses, the couldn't help but draw attention. The smile gracing her lips was the look of someone who, in that moment, was completely happy with the world around her. This was obviously the Queen that she had heard so much about.

"What do you want?" Caius's sharp voice broke her thoughts and her stare moved to him. He didn't look at all happy at the interruption and neither did the other Kings.

"I have a crime to report. The Cullens, they've done something terrible." Aro quickly moved to the woman. So quickly that Callen felt a flicker of suspicious run through her. He had never been so eager to leave her side for a possible crime. He looked through Irina's memories then dismissed her. As a key witness, she would remain with the Volturi until a decision was reached. Aro turned and smiled at his brothers.

"It seems that even the illustrious Carlisle Cullen is not above allowing our rules to be broken. They have created an immortal child." Marcus immediately stood, his chair scrapping loudly on the floor while Caius hissed angrily. Callen gasped then jumped off her spot on the table. She put her hands on Aro's chest to calm him and attempt to slow his thought process.

"My love surely it's a misunderstanding! I do not believe the Cullens would do such a thing! Please, let me go to them and see for myself-"

"They allowed you to be attacked and did nothing about it!" Caius and Marcus snarled. Callen turned and explained what happened, obviously begging them to understand. She stressed that it would never happen again.

"Of course it's not going to happen again! You're not going anywhere anymore without a guard at all times. I knew it was a terrible idea to even let you leave the castle!" Caius ranted as he began pacing, his hands balled into fists. Callen snarled at his words but Aro stepped in front of her, interrupting anything she would have said.

"Brothers, this accusation is exactly what we've been waiting for. We know most of their strengths and their weaknesses too. We must punish those responsible."

Callen stepped away from the men she called mates. Jane 'accidently' overhearing a private conversation, Aro being so relieved to know her thoughts and observations, the way they seemed slightly pleased the day she left, all those memories and more flashed through her mind. She had been used. The woman shoved Aro viciously from behind which sent him tumbling into his brothers.

"How could you?! Was me going to that wedding all part of your plan? Just another layer to add to your scheme? For what? To convince Alice Cullen to join us?" Aro, knowing he had been caught, looked to the floor in shame. When neither Marcus nor Caius could look at her, it confirmed that they had known about this as well.

Callen felt her frozen heart shatter. Somehow her ears seemed to ring and she was struck with a strange vertigo. They had used her. The three men who had promised to choose her over all else. They had treated her like a pawn, a piece to be used. Just like Stein and his men. The woman's hands slowly covered her mouth. Her eyes stung with tears she would never shed.

Marcus was the first to feel it. Pain, icy cold, speared through his body. He cried out in pain as he collapsed to his knees. Aro and Caius fell immediately after. By the time they could think past the pain the room was horrifyingly empty. Their Queen was nowhere to be seen. Marcus used his gift to look at the tie he and his brothers shared with the woman. It could help them find her. Instead of seeing a thick red rope like usual, he only saw the thinnest tattered string.

He said as much out loud. Caius, usually the least emotional of the three, let out a gut wrenching sound of pain. Their actions had hurt Callen so badly that it had shredded her bond with them to the point of almost breaking completely.

She was gone.


	49. Chapter 49

Demetri whispered to himself in rapid Italian as he paced his room. His bright red eyes darted around the space continually. Every wall was covered with different maps of the world. He had been searching nonstop for the Queen for a week now. Her shield was blocking his gift and she had seemingly disappeared.

Aro, doing his best to work through the pain that had settled in his body, had called the tracker back to the castle. They had an eternity to find the Queen and they had their best lead to go on now. Caius mentioned that there was a chance that Callen had gone to the Cullens. It seemed doubtful but it was their best chance of finding out where she had gone.

Gathering the Elite Guard, Aro trusted the rest to make their preparations to Forks. The Kings had their own witnesses to gather.

They spent the next 8 days gathering just the right people. Caius also convinced Aro to stop certain vampires from joining the Cullens. The Guard would hunt down and capture those vampires which would eventually result in their death. Without their Queen to guide them, the men were reverting to their vicious old ways.

During this time Callen was all over the place, literally. She was jumping from location to location every few hours. There wasn't a spot she could find to let her mind calm enough to think things through. Pain radiated through her body which made things even harder. She had finally settled at a small café in northern France. With a disposable coffee cup in hand she claimed a table then stared into the passing crowd.

Hours went by as the woman ran through her thoughts. Her immortal mind pulled apart every memory since she had awoken from her change. She was attempting to find the strength to decide how, or even if, her mates could be forgiven.

"Don't make a decision based on overthinking dear. Trust me." Callen looked up at the elderly woman who had spoken. She had been behind the register and had watched as the beautiful woman stared at seemingly nothing.

"No good decision was ever made from thinking too much. Let me guess, it's because of a man?" The vampire nodded slowly before she turned to face the woman. Her eyes were covered again by drown contacts. "Well all men are silly but if they love you it's even worse. They'll do something and think it's what's best for you. Whatever he did, could it possibly be to protect you? I know it hurts terribly now but try to think of his motives. Perhaps that will help you with your decision."

The woman looked at her hands while she thought over this newest question. The old woman patted Callen's hand before returning inside. Another hour passed before Callen suddenly stood and walked away, leaving a generous tip at the table. She continued walking, passing many buildings at a human's pace, looking as though she wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere.

The Queen continued walking, passing through the wilderness with ease. Occasionally she would hunt in a town but otherwise she avoided people. Thoughts continued spinning through her brain until she finally found her answer.

If the Cullens had created an immortal child, the child would put every vampire in danger. The risk of exposure was too great to ignore. It had to be investigated. Her mates knew how she cared for the Cullens and perhaps trying to collect some of them was a strange way of trying to make Callen happy.

Forgiving her mates would take time and there were many things they needed to discuss. Aro's obsession with the Cullen family being one of them. It would take time and would probably be painful but she was willing to try. Decision made, the woman made the quick jump to Volterra.


	50. Chapter 50

Stepping through her portal, Callen emerged into her bedroom. Paintings, books, and various other items which hadn't been there before littered her room. Assuming they were all gifts of apology from the Kings she smiled slightly. Then she picked up the letter laying on the large bed.

Instead of finding some long letter that wouldn't have meant much, she was surprised when multiple scraps of paper fell out. They had writing on them but were on seemingly random pieces of paper. Callen spent the next 30 minutes reading them. When she was finished, the woman was sobbing.

Inside the lip of the envelope was written "All the reasons we love you" in Aro's handwriting. Marcus, Caius, and Aro had seemingly taken the time to jot down a reason on the nearest writing material available. There were so many papers in the envelope each with a different reason. It was the sweetest thing the woman had ever seen.

As she began carefully putting the papers back into the envelope the pain that had been coursing through her body seemed to lessen. The bond she had with her mates was beginning to heal.

Thousands of miles away, Aro paused as he felt the pain recede slightly. Standing in a snowy field, his hands connected to his brother's he knew they felt it too. The relief was so extreme that none of them reacted when Jane screeched loudly. For some reason, her gift didn't seem to be working.

The Cullens and their friends knew immediately that something was amiss when the Queen was nowhere to be seen. Edward, after searching through minds as quickly as possible, confirmed that the woman was absent.

Bella felt her nerves tighten even more when Edward whispered the information about the fight that made Callen leave. Without the woman present to temper the situation the chances of their survival were even smaller.

The tension only heightened as the Kings went through trial procedures as though everything was normal. Even the incident that led to Irina's death was no surprise. The Volturi were looking for a fight. Anything was fair to use as fuel in their opinion.

All this lead to the current moment. While the Ancients deliberated the situation, Jane and Alec were supposed to incapacitate those on trial. Except this time, it didn't seem to be working. With his sister unexpected sidelined, Alec tucked her under his arm while pushing his power forward. The slow, white mist curled away from him, eager to be released.

Marcus and his brothers were finally pulled from their revere when the very earth beneath their feet shook. Wind screamed through the clearing and a large fissure had opened in an attempt to stop Alec's mist. Nothing worked and it seemed as though this trial would be over quickly. Then the boy's gift encountered Isabella's shield.

Unable to go through, the fog began flowing up. Aro's eyes lit up as he saw just how large the invisible protection was. Caius's thoughts reflected his but the interest was short lived. All three men felt their thoughts turn dark. Callen was able to do so much more, was so much more of a prize. What would she think of all this? Guilt lapped at the edges of their minds. As they simultaneously wondered where she was and what she was doing, the silence in the clearing was broken.

"That will be enough Alec. Thank you." All eyes turned to the back of the Volturi ranks. Walking casually through the Guard as though her appearance hadn't drastically affected the trial, was Callen.


	51. Chapter 51

Almost everyone on the Cullen side of the field relaxed slightly. They had all heard tales of the Queen's generosity and kindness. Hopefully she would be able to make things right. Only the Romanians reacted verbally. Hisses escaped their mouths but the woman hardly spared them a glance.

Dressed in dark jeans, a V-neck tee, and plain black shoes, the woman looked as casual as anyone had ever seen. She continued her slow procession through the Guard and greeted people silently. As she passed, Alec lost his composure and threw himself at her. He hugged her tightly while whispering that he had missed her. Until not the boy had been unwilling to admit how much Callen had come to mean to him. He cared for her like she was his own mother.

She hugged him then gently handed him back to his sister. The two women beamed at each other until Callen turned away. Looking at her mates, Callen's smile became soft and sweet. She stayed silent but her smile gave the Kings hope. Maybe they could fix things with her.

Finally, the Queen turned to face the Cullens. Her bright red eyes locked onto Renesmee, her expression cold and calculating. Jacob shifted his paws, the intensity of her expression made him uneasy. She moved forward but stopped inches away from Bella's invisible shield.

"We can continue the easy way, where you let your shield down, or the hard way which is where I break my way through. Your choice." At Callen's words, Bella clenched her fists and adjusted her stance. It was a mother's protective stance, one that was expected. A raise of Callen's eyebrows was the only physical response for a moment.

Then the vampire took a step forward. Suddenly Isabella's once invisible shield became evident as a translucent red color. It was easily 10 feet high while stretching across their entire group. Impressive on its own but it seemed to pale in comparison to the Queen's shield. She had pushed both her physical and mental shield as one into the opposing shield. When they touched, Callen's entire shield had turned a bright sparkling gold. It almost completely obscured the woman and practically radiated power.

As Callen moved forward so did her shield, pushing Bella's own shield back. The newborn began showing signs of struggling as her eyes closed and a groan left her throat. Painful pressure seemed to be building inside her skull. It worsened the closer Callen's shield got to her. None of the others dared moved, afraid of what could happen. The advance only stopped when Bella dropped to one knee. Callen's shield was now easily 3 times larger.

"I don't want it to be like this Isabella. Let me speak to your daughter up close and personal." Unable to withstand the pressure any longer, the woman nodded and pulled her shield back. She hesitated for a moment when it reached her daughter. Her eyes, nearly gold now, stared into Callen's red ones. It was a silent plea.

"If she is not an immortal child, I have no reason to hurt her Bella. Don't make this harder, I want to go home." The red shield pulled away from Renesmee and was followed immediately by Callen's gold one. No longer touching another shield, the gold and red both faded until they were invisible again. Still somehow managing to look regal, the Queen walked to the young girl then sank down to the ground. Her legs crossed in front of her and suddenly nothing could be heard.

Everyone could see the two female's mouth's moving but Callen had manipulated her shield so that no sound escaped. The young girl reached for the vampire's face and Edward let out a pained gasp when the Queen's hand shot out and grabbed his daughter's wrist. Jacob whined and moved closer, his wet nose touching the invisible force. The woman shook her head in reprimand before bringing her face to the young girl's hand.

Minutes creeped by while the two talked and both groups were getting anxious. Finally, Renesmee dropped her hand and Callen stood up. The woman picked the hybrid up then turned and began walking toward her mates. Jacob snarled loudly and pushed his front paws against the shield still in his way. Renesmee looked back and smiled before shushing the entire group. There was enough curiosity and confusion for Callen to reach her mates without another sound.

"Renesmee these are my mares. Aro, Marcus, Caius, meet Renesmee Cullen. A hybrid, the first and only child of Isabella Cullen." Aro smiled at the girl and shook her hand. The Queen had wrapped her mental shield around the girl, leaving him unable to see her thoughts. Marcus shook her hand as well but also placed a kiss on the child's hand. Caius hesitated for a moment then stepped closer; he bowed stiffly then inclined his head to her. He couldn't bring himself to touch the strange creature but if Callen trusted this story then so did he.


	52. Chapter 52

Edward had relaxed at Bella's side and the others took it as a good sign. The Queen spoke quietly to her mates, gesturing while she talked. Aro and his brothers looked ashamed and their gazes all moved to the ground. They nodded at whatever she had said which made her shake her head. When Callen turned back to the Cullens and moved toward them, Caius whined and grabbed her elbow.

Bella, Jacob, Edward, and a few others hissed in outrage. Callen merely looked sad for a moment before her expression crumbled and she turned toward him. Maneuvering Renesmee so the girl wouldn't be squished, she kissed him roughly. The kiss only lasted for a second before she turned and walked toward the Cullens again. No sound was heard except for Renesmee's strange heart and the crunching of the snow under the Queen's shoes.

Handing Renesmee to her father, the woman looked Bella up and down. They spoke for a moment and Callen complimented her, saying immortality really did suit her. She then turned and walked up and down the line of people, introducing herself. As she was speaking to Maggie from the Irish coven, Alice came running into the field. The tiny vampire was followed by Jasper and three strangers. Everyone turned and stared as Alice's expression became ecstatic. She hadn't seen for sure that Callen would be here.

The two women moved toward each other then hugged. Callen then embraced Jasper who, while looking extremely surprised, immediately returned the gesture. Alice grabbed her and spun Callen to face her, shaking her roughly.

"I saw you die here Callen. Right in this stupid field. Everyone was fighting and you got distracted trying to stop it. They tore you to pieces." The Queen asked who and followed the other woman's gaze. The last of the Romanian coven were glaring murderously in her direction. Callen had been told about this coven, about how terrible their reign was. As she kept staring at them Vladimir hissed viciously as if he couldn't wait to tear into her throat. The loud answering hiss from every member of the Volturi side and even a few on the Cullen side, was enough to stop any thought of action from the Romanians.

"Well then I guess we had better not fight." Callen smiled easily then faced her coven. "My dear ones, I see no danger from this child in the immediate future. We can reevaluate again in a few years. I believe my mates agree but if any of you have any further argument, please bring it forward now."

The entire guard was completely still. Not even a wisp of wind blew through the clearing. Callen's judgment was enough for all of them. They trusted her with their lives and this was absolute proof of that. They were also extremely glad that she had returned to them.

They then discovered that one of the people Alice had brought with her was a hybrid like Renesmee. He told his story and Aro verified it then commented saying they would investigate his creator's actions. A sudden lull in the conversation made the moment tense again. Some believed the Volturi were still looking for a fight, having come all this way. Callen merely clapped her hands and made a shooing motion. The entire Guard turned as one and began marching away.

"Be very careful little Queen." A dark voice penetrated the silence. "I believe we shall be seeing each other again very soon."

The woman looked back at the Romanian coven. Stefan had been the one to speak but both continued to glare at her. She was the key to bringing down the Volturi. Without her the Kings would wither away then turn into nothing but ash. The remaining coven members would then most likely scatter, leaving an opening for a new coven to take control.

"Oh, I do look forward to it." Her smile was dangerous but somehow still gorgeous. Then, simply because she was tired of being underestimated, Callen Volturi opened the biggest portal she had ever created. Without hesitation the Guard continued forward and walked into it. Shocked gasps came from the Cullen side of the field. Nobody had any idea the Queen had that kind of power hidden up her sleeve. The sound of others awe made the vampire smile before she stepped through with her mates at her side. They were going home.


	53. Chapter 53

They marched directly into the throne room where Callen then told them to disperse. They were free to do as they pleased for the next 24 hours. After that they were to return to their normal activities. Callen then turned and walked away, her mates silently following like eager puppies. She still hadn't spoken to them aside from introducing the Cullen child.

Walking at a human's pace, it took a few moments for the group to make the long trek to their rooms. All three Kings were on edge and could barely contain themselves. Their mate pushed the doors open then motioned to the couch in the sitting area with a wave of her hand. She looked back at them after a moment and couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up her chest.

Sitting shoulder to shoulder with their hands atop their knees, the Kings reminded Callen of eager students. Her mates looked elated at her laughter, burning to know what had caused it. The woman schooled her expression before pulling an envelope from her back pocket. They recognized it as the envelope that contained their confessions of love.

It was difficult for their feelings for Callen to be put into words. Although that seemed to be for the best because it made all three men think and re-think the relationship. They now realized the many mistakes they had been making. The words would come to them at random times and in their joy, they used anything close to them. Marcus even went so far as to tear out the title page of his favorite book.

"This was beautiful and I appreciate the obvious sincerity behind it. However, this doesn't completely fix things. We have a lot to talk about." The three men nodded quickly, ready to do anything.

"Your obsession with the Cullens needs to stop. You used my friendship with them to spy on them, to find a way to collect them. If you ever use me like a pawn in a game again, I swear on our bond that you will never see me again. Am I understood?" They nodded once more, ever eager to please. The mates then continued to talk about other issues in their relationship, bringing everything into the open and discussing it. Eventually the conversation deescalated and they were all visibly calmer though Callen was still rather icy.

Aro reached for her and was pleasantly surprised when the woman allowed it. Tentatively, Caius and Marcus reached for her as well. She shot them all a silent look but didn't move away. The next few minutes were a slow dance that consisted of the three men testing how far their mate would let them continue. They were all three wrapped around her body when a portal opened underneath them.

Callen giggled mischievously when they all dropped through it and onto their bed a few feet away. The men were surprised for a moment then they all broke into laughter. The four mates all laughed for a few minutes, the stress leaving their bodies quickly. Eventually the group calmed and became tangled in each other. There was no lust in their movements, only the tenderness that came from a momentous reunion.

When Callen had left, there wasn't any indication that she would ever return. Caius and his brothers also knew that they could have spent the rest of eternity searching for her. With her many talents Callen had the ability to stay one step ahead of them. If she truly wanted it, they would have never seen her again. The thought scared them more than they would ever admit.

The next few hours were spent in a wonderful silence. The four vampires simply laid on the bed with each other, their limbs and bodies tangled together in ways most contortionists could only dream of. Anything was considered necessary as long as they could all feel each other's bodies. Just being together with their scents intermingling was pure bliss. None of them were really putting effort into thoughts or conversation anymore. The next few days would be spent like this and none of them complained.


	54. Chapter 54

Streaks of light had barely begun to pierce the sky on the sixth day of their return when Callen decided she wanted to shower. She disentangled herself then slowly moved toward the bathroom. The sight of her naked body in the mirror stopped her quickly. Marcus watched curiously as his mate ran her fingertips gently over her stomach. Spinning around quickly, the woman looked worriedly at her mates. The panic on her face made all three kings tense.

"Are you upset that I can't give you children? That I've never wanted to? Would you leave me because of it?" Her breathing had turned into unnecessary gasps as she began to panic. Within a few seconds the three men had flitted to their beloved. They caressed her body and whispered lovingly in Italian as they lead her to the shower. Aro turned the water on then pulled Callen under the spray slowly.

Gently the men cleaned their mate and assured her they didn't mind. None of them had ever had any desire to continue their blood lines. Their large coven had been enough, would always be enough. They had been completely against any form of child once they encountered the immortal children and their hatred of the young had barely lessened. The Cullen child was as close as any of them would ever want to be to any young humans.

They all showered together before getting dressed for the day. It was a surprise to all the guard who honestly thought they would want more time together. Nevertheless, everything picked back up in the coven. Aro had purchased a handful of businesses that he had gifted to Called. He had done the smallest amount necessary as he acted in her stead while she was gone but he was more than willing to hand the reins back. His mate had a very good eye for business, he had assumed she would.

As the coven fell back into their normal schedule, Aro made sure to inquire about how she liked the businesses. The woman, currently reading over the various budget reports, perked up immediately. A local bakery, a communications office, and a plant nursery were the businesses she now owned and she was exceptionally proud of them. The bakery, a small business packed into a small building in an alley, had been struggling when Aro bought it. Now thanks to Callen's hard work, it was flourishing.

Understanding that the location was the biggest problem, the Queen used her communications office to better promote the bakery. She put more of the budget into advertising, freshened up the look of the interior, and made sure everything was made from the finest ingredients possible. Business had increased dramatically; there was even talk of opening another location.

"So, the bakery is giving business to the communications office as their own business grows larger. The advertisement is so well done that other businesses are noticing. I've gotten ten new high-profile clients from the bakery alone! Not to mention all the international requests we've been getting. We'll have to start hiring more translators if we take that option."

When talking about the bakery and the communications businesses, Callen's demeanor was excited but collected. Marcus and his brothers could tell when her mind went to the plant nursery. As much as the Queen loved her other businesses, they all knew of her adoration for all things plant-like. Her voice would soften and a tiny smile would dance across her lips. The nursery was in the outskirts of Florence and Callen would visit as often as possible. She would spend hours walking through the gardens and greenhouses, caring for the plants and making sure the equipment worked properly.

As the woman continued talking about new plans for adding another greenhouse, her mates continued their own work. She knew they were listening because they would look over at her frequently. It worked perfectly as the Kings could continue work on their projects and Callen didn't feel as though she had to entertain them. She was able to finish checking the reports while she talked. Once that was finished, a simple sketch of her greenhouse idea began forming.

As she wrote out dimensions Callen took a quick look at her mates. They had their problems but the vampire knew how lucky she was. These men loved her with every fiber of their beings, from their black hearts to untamed darkness. They were completely hers. Just as she was theirs. From the moment she had met them, she was a goner. These men who nearly everyone else saw as monsters, had taken her soul and jumped off a proverbial cliff. When she had finally allowed herself to follow off that cliff, they showed her what love really was.

These three glorious men had shown Callen an existence better than anything she could have ever imagined. They pushed her to be better, she wanted to make them proud. With them by her side, she had grown. Blossoming into a strong, intelligent woman instead of a young girl living in constant fear. She owed them so much but the only thing they asked for was her love. This she would give them continuously until the Earth burned them from its face.

Noticing the large smile on his mate's face, Caius asked what was on her mind. She looked at him and he nearly melted at the amount of affection in her gaze.

"I just love you all so much. More than words could ever describe." Marcus and Aro both gazed at the woman in adoration. They knew without a doubt that Callen loved them but hearing the words fall from her lips so randomly made their bodies tingle with warmth again. Their reply was synchronous, as if they had planned it.

"We love you too. Until the end of time and then even longer."

D

 **A.N. - That's it! I finally finished! Thank you so much for reading my story and sharing this journey with me! Please leave a final review to let me know what you think of the final chapters or even the story as a whole! Much love!**


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